Yi syllable ggux

ꈫ is a written Yi syllable whose role comes from its sentence.

In the Liangshan romanization, ggux is pronounced roughly like “gu,” with the voice rising from mid to high. The final x marks that tone; it is not a separate consonant. One published Nuosu grammar example glosses ꈫ as CL, short for classifier, a grammatical word used with a noun, in a sentence meaning “That garment is the most beautiful.”

How did the Liangshan Yi syllabary develop?

It grew through regional traditions before the Liangshan form was standardized.

Researchers discuss early Yi inscriptions on stone, bronze, pottery, and bone; surviving paper manuscripts reach back to the late Ming. Bimo priests—ritual specialists—copied and taught traditional writing, and their books carried ritual knowledge. Inscriptions also show Yi writing in formal public settings.

Older Yi writing varied by region in glyph shape, sound values, writing direction, and readability. The standardized Liangshan syllabary represents one regional tradition and serves the Liangshan dialect; it is not a universal script for every Yi language. The character’s place in Unicode catalogs that standardized inventory, not the beginning of Yi writing.

How do I type ꈫ?

Use a Yi input method, type ggux, and select the character. On Windows, Microsoft’s workflow, documented as of 2024, is to add Yi, switch with Win+Space, enter the Latin phonemes ggux, and choose ꈫ from the candidates. Without a Yi input method, use a character map or another insertion tool; a standard Latin keyboard does not produce it directly.