Vai syllable Nde

To type ꗺ in a Unicode-aware editor, enter A5FA and run the editor’s hex-conversion command; the shortcut varies by app. In Vai writing, ꗺ is the syllable nde, a sound unit rather than a word with a fixed meaning. The Vai script arose in Liberia around 1833 so Vai speakers could write their language.

Text symbol

What ꗺ means

Enter A5FA in a Unicode-aware editor and run its hex-conversion command.

The exact shortcut depends on the editor.

What does ꗺ mean in Vai?

It writes the Vai syllable nde; the word supplies the meaning. Its opening sound is a brief nasal sound before d.

The earliest known surviving Vai manuscript was collected in 1834; the Book of Ndole, another early Vai text, dates to around 1845. These mark the script’s early record, not this individual sign’s first use.

Early Vai sign forms varied before standardization narrowed the set. The script supported literacy and communication in Vai communities and carried a claim to cultural autonomy alongside Arabic and Latin writing traditions. It later inspired other West African script projects; a connection to Cherokee remains conjectural.

A specific syllable in Vai writing; its reading is language-dependent.

Sent alone outside a Vai-reading context, it may leave the recipient guessing.

Part of the collection

ꕙ

Vai Script

Who writes ꗺ

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What it means when someone sends it to you

2 readings

A sound-bearing syllable; neighboring syllables make the word.

Don't confuse it with

ꗹ

Vai Syllable De

ꗹ writes Vai De; ꗺ writes Nde, which begins with a nasal sound before d.

Questions people ask

why does ꗺ look different in different fonts?

Fonts draw Unicode text in their own designs, so outlines vary. If the active font lacks ꗺ, a fallback may alter its shape or show a missing-glyph box.