Tangut ideograph 17D4C

It means “protect” or “guard” in Tangut.

A Tangut–Chinese dictionary reconstructs its reading as ²wer₁. This is a scholarly notation for Tangut pronunciation, not a Mandarin reading.

The Western Xia state developed the Tangut script around 1036 for administration and cultural independence. It carried official, private, and religious writing, including Buddhist sutras.

Why does 𗵌 look like Chinese?

Tangut drew on Chinese writing, but it is a distinct script.

Its designers also followed Khitan neighbors who created scripts of their own. Historical sources use vertical columns read right to left; modern scholarly editions run left to right.

A document dated 1070/1071 is reported as the earliest known dated Tangut writing. The script continued under the Yuan and Ming dynasties before falling out of use.