Tangut character 𘘄

“Tooth” is the safest standalone gloss. Historical dictionaries also record “blade”; that second gloss is best read in its Tangut context.

The Tangut script was created around 1036 under the first ruler of Western Xia, a state in what is now northwestern China, to write the Tangut language. It carried official, private, and religious texts. After Western Xia fell, the script continued under Yuan and Ming rule, becoming obsolete by the end of the Ming dynasty. Scholars rediscovered it in the late 19th century.

Why is 𘘄 part of Tangut sound names?

The “tooth” idea also names historical consonant groups. In Tangut phonology, 𘘄𘁙𗙏 is “tooth-tip sound,” a label for dental hissing consonants made near the teeth. 𘘄𗒘𗙏 is “true-tooth sound,” a label for retroflex hissing consonants, made with the tongue tip curled back. These are old technical names; 𘘄 does not mean “sound” by itself.

Is 𘘄 Chinese writing or an emoji?

It is Tangut writing, not Chinese or an emoji. Tangut forms can look like Chinese writing, but the script records a different language. As of 2026-10-09, 𘘄 is encoded as a text character, not an emoji. If it appears as an empty box or substitute glyph, your font may lack Tangut coverage; the character itself has not changed.