Yi Syllable Dux

ꄕ is one syllable in the standardized Liangshan Yi script. Its standard romanized lookup spelling is dux; the final x marks the secondary high tone, a distinct pitch pattern. The Yi word around it supplies its meaning, so one character alone cannot be translated as a whole word.

A brief history of the Yi script helps separate older writing from this standardized form. Traditional Yi, also called Cuan or Wei, was ideographic and varied by region. One origin tradition credits a figure named Aki with devising it in the Tang era; this is a traditional account, not a settled creation date. The earliest surviving dated example is a bronze-bell inscription from 1485, while proposed Western Han artifacts remain disputed. Local priests passed down religious, magical, medical, and genealogical texts.

Why does Liangshan Yi have its own standard?

The standard was made for Liangshan Yi, not every Yi writing tradition. It was devised in 1974 and officially promulgated in 1980 to improve literacy. It grew from older Northern Yi forms and is used in education, reference works, newspapers, public notices, literature, and religious writing.

Traditional Yi signs were made in imitation of Chinese ideographs, but they are not derived from Han characters. Regional traditions differ in their glyphs, sounds, inventories, and writing directions, so this standardized Liangshan sign cannot be assumed to match one in a local manuscript.

How do I type ꄕ?

Use a Yi input method and enter dux. On Windows, add Yi under Language & region, enter the romanized spelling with Latin keys, then select the matching candidate. Microsoft’s guide to this flow was updated 2024-06-20.

Yi Pinyin gives you the standard lookup spelling. If the active font lacks Yi coverage, a box or fallback shape may appear; that is a font issue, not a different character.