Yi syllable ngap

It represents the Liangshan Yi syllable romanized as “ngap.” By itself, it gives no word-level translation; the surrounding Yi syllables determine how it functions in a sentence.

The initial ng is the nasal sound at the end of English “sing,” moved to the start. The final p is not pronounced as a consonant; in the standard romanization it marks a low-falling tone.

When did Yi writing begin?

The earliest surviving dated Yi-script inscription is from 1485. Yi origin stories connect writing with Aki in the Tang dynasty, an imperial period in China. The inscription is on a bronze bell; paper Yi texts survive from around 1500. These dates mark surviving examples, not a known start date.

Before standardization, bimo—Yi ritual specialists—transmitted local writing traditions used in religious, magical, medical, and genealogical texts. Communities’ scripts differed in shape, sound, and reading direction. The modern Liangshan standard drew on older Northern Yi characters, was devised in 1974, and was officially promulgated in 1980 to improve literacy in the Liangshan dialect. It later appeared in books, newspapers, and official documents. Cuan and Wei are historical names for the wider Yi tradition, not for this syllable.

How do I type ꉣ?

On Windows, the Yi IME builds syllables from phonemes and offers candidates. Add the Yi input method, enter the romanized phonemes for the syllable, and select ꉣ from the candidate list.

If it appears as a blank square, the active font may lack Yi coverage; a Yi-capable font such as Nuosu SIL can display it. The square is a font issue, not another Yi character.