Tangut Character 17D40

The surviving evidence does not yield a single gloss.

Li Fanwen’s 2008 data reconstructs it as “wow¹”; Sofronov’s 1968 data gives “won¹.” These are scholarly readings of an extinct language, not present-day pronunciation guides.

Neither reconstruction alone gives a dependable one-word English gloss. Read the character in a longer Tangut text or with a character dictionary; do not infer its meaning from its shape.

Where did Tangut writing come from?

It was created for a Tangut state and cultural tradition.

Tangut writing was put into use in 1036 on emperor Li Yuanhao’s orders, as part of building a Tangut state. A major aim was a Tangut version of the Buddhist canon; the script also marked a distinct identity beside Song China.

Tangut writing was not derived from Chinese, although Chinese script influenced its visual style and character-building principles. The neighboring Khitan people’s use of two scripts provides a regional parallel.

Surviving Tangut works extend beyond Buddhism: they include translations from Chinese and Tibetan, as well as Confucian, military, encyclopedic, and literary writing. A manuscript fragment found at Khara-khoto, probably from the 12th or early 13th century, translates a Chinese work.

What if someone sends 𗵀 by itself?

Ask for the surrounding text before settling on a translation.

The character identifies Tangut writing, but by itself it does not establish which reading or meaning applies. A documented compound, 𗵀𗃽, shows why its neighboring characters can matter.