What ꖶ means
It marks the syllable read as gu in Vai.
Vai uses a syllabary, a writing system whose signs represent syllables. ꖶ contributes gu to a word; other signs continue its spelling. Read alone, it gives the syllable but not enough context to translate a full message.
In a string of Vai characters, each sign contributes to the written word.
How did the Vai script develop?
The Vai script took shape through local collective work around 1833, rather than as the invention of one named person. The earliest known sample is a short text from 1834, written by Fan Dawo Kelondo at John Leighton Wilson's request.
Its practical purpose was to let Vai speakers write their language and support local literacy. Early schools taught it. Arabic writing used by Manding traders, along with contact with missionaries and traders, formed part of the historical setting.
Reforms in 1899 and 1962 reduced ambiguity and added distinctions. Vai later influenced the writing systems used for Mende, Loma, Kpelle and Bassa. Cherokee appears as a debated comparison in discussions of Vai's origin; visual similarity alone does not establish descent.
Language-specific and technical; it belongs in Vai text or discussion of the script.
Without surrounding Vai text, its syllable may not tell you the word's meaning.
What it means when someone sends it to you
2 readingsDon't confuse it with
4Questions people ask
1Why does ꖶ show as a box?
A font without Vai coverage cannot draw the character. Depending on the rendering environment, it may appear as a square, question mark or blank even when encoded correctly; use a font that supports Vai.
How to type ꖶ
ꖶ\A5B6Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.