Yi syllable hxie

ꉌ represents one syllable in the standardized Liangshan Yi script.

In the standard Liangshan romanization, hxie has no final tone letter, so it marks the midlevel tone. A final t, x, or p marks high, secondary-high, or low-falling tone; the x inside hxie is part of the syllable spelling.

The Nuosu word ꉌꂵ is glossed “heart.” That translation belongs to the full word, not ꉌ alone.

How did Yi writing develop?

The Liangshan syllabary grew from older, locally varied Yi writing.

Traditional Yi writing, called Cuan or Wei, used ideographic signs for ideas or words and varied by region. Origin accounts differ; the oldest securely dated surviving Yi inscription is on a bronze bell from 1485. These signs appear not to derive from Han Chinese characters.

Before standardization, bimo (Yi priests and ritual specialists) passed down religious, magical, medical, and genealogical texts. A separate Liangshan scheme using Latin letters began in 1956 to support literacy; the standardized syllabary was devised in 1974 and officially promulgated in 1980. It writes Nuosu, the Liangshan Yi dialect, not every Yi language or tradition.

What does ꉌ mean when someone sends it?

Alone, ꉌ does not identify the word someone intends.

Ask for the surrounding word or sentence and the Yi variety. This glyph supplies one syllable, not a complete translation.