Tangut character for amber

𗿠 means “amber” in Tangut. Scholars record its reconstructed reading as tśjwiw² in Latin letters.

Made in 1036 for Western Xia state identity and probably to produce Buddhist scriptures, Tangut followed two Khitan scripts from about a century earlier, one based largely on Chinese writing. Tangut drew on Chinese models without descending from them. Texts include Chinese and Tibetan translations and secular books; a Khara-Khoto manuscript probably dates from the 12th or early 13th century.

In the Tangut reference book Homonyms, 𗿠 “amber” precedes 𗊏 “pearl.” One manuscript omits 𘣍, likely a copying error prompted by the next entry.

What does a lone 𗿠 mean?

Read it as “amber” or as a Tangut reference.

The surrounding message tells you whether the sender means amber or refers to Tangut text. If it appears as a box, the font or app may lack Tangut coverage.