Yi syllable Shyp

ꏃ writes one Yi syllable; context identifies its word sense.

In the Latin-letter transcription for standardized Liangshan Yi, also called Nuosu, this syllable is written shyp. Its final p marks a low falling tone, not an extra consonant. This spelling represents a syllable, not an English translation.

Yi writing has several regional forms across southwest China. The oldest surviving Yi texts on paper date to around 1500; earlier inscriptions on stone, bronze, pottery, and bone have been proposed.

Bimo, Yi ritual specialists, copied and passed on ritual texts, histories, genealogies, and epic literature; inscriptions also served as formal public records. The standardized Liangshan form was based on older Northern Yi writing, devised in 1974, and officially promulgated in 1980 to support literacy. It does not represent every Yi variety.

What does ꏃ mean in a message?

Alone, ꏃ may not reveal the intended Yi word.

If someone sends it alone, ask for the surrounding word or sentence before translating. Readers of the Liangshan standard and readers of other regional Yi traditions may not share the same immediate reading.

How do I type ꏃ?

Use a Yi input method and select ꏃ from its candidates.

A standard keyboard does not have a separate key for every Yi syllable. The input method takes a typed syllable spelling and offers matching Yi characters.