Tangut Character 185EE

𘗮 is a Tangut character glossed as “joking remarks.” The script wrote the Western Xia language in official, private, and religious texts.

Text symbol

What 𘗮 means

A Tangut dictionary records it as “playful talk.” It names a kind of speech; it is not a picture of someone laughing.

Is 𘗮 a Chinese character?

No. It belongs to Tangut, a separate script for a different language. The Xixia (Western Xia) state established the script about 1036 to write Tangut. Tangut writing borrowed models from Chinese and Khitan; Khitan was another script used by a neighboring people, but Tangut characters write a different language. After Western Xia fell, the script continued in official, private, and religious texts through the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

How did readers follow Tangut text?

Down the columns, proceeding from right to left. That describes full Tangut passages in the Western Xia period; it does not change the identity of this isolated glyph.

Using 𘗮 as a joke in chat only works if your recipient reads Tangut; otherwise, explain it.

Part of collections

𗀀

Tangut Characters List

𗼇

Tangut Script

Who writes 𘗮

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Questions people ask

Why does 𘗮 show as a box on some devices?

Not every system ships a font for the Tangut block. Where none is installed, the character shows as an empty box; adding a font such as Noto fixes it. The character itself is still correct and copies correctly.