Yi syllable NBYP

On Windows, use Yi input and select its matching suggestion. Microsoft's Windows guide, updated 2024, describes entering syllable sounds with ordinary letter keys and choosing the intended Yi character from the suggestions. For this syllable, enter nbyp.

What does ꂎ mean?

It writes one syllable in the Liangshan Yi system. The standardized script writes Liangshan Yi, also called Nuosu. nbyp is the romanized spelling; its final p marks a low, falling pitch pattern. It identifies a syllable and tone rather than translating into an English word.

The modern syllabary standardizes older regional Yi writing traditions. Traditional Yi scripts, historically called Cuan or Wei, used signs for meanings, while the standardized Liangshan form represents syllables. A traditional account credits Aki with devising Yi writing during the Tang dynasty, though the earliest surviving inscriptions date from the 15th century, including a bronze bell dated 1485. Bimo, Yi ritual specialists, preserved religious, genealogical, and medical texts. The modern form was devised in 1974 and officially promulgated in 1980 to support literacy and publishing.

Why does ꂎ show as a square?

Your font may lack Yi glyph coverage. This character is text whose shape comes from the font. Yi characters do not typographically join their neighbors, so each one remains a separate syllable sign.