Yi Syllable Suop

ꌖ writes one syllable in the standardized Liangshan Yi script.

Its standard Liangshan romanized spelling is suop; the final p marks a low-falling tone, not a final p sound. The glyph records that syllable, not a fixed English word; the word's meaning depends on the surrounding Yi text.

This standard is a syllabary: each sign represents a spoken syllable. It was developed for the Liangshan variety of Yi, so it is not a universal writing system for every Yi variety.

Why doesn't ꌖ look like older Yi writing?

It belongs to a later standardized system.

Traditional Yi writing was not one uniform script: regional traditions varied in glyph shapes, readings, and writing direction. Ritual specialists called bimo passed manuscripts through local lineages; the texts covered scripture, legend, history, medicine, and astrology.

The earliest securely dated surviving Yi-script inscription is on a bronze bell from 1485. The origins of traditional Yi writing remain disputed. A Latin-alphabet scheme for Liangshan speech appeared in 1956; the phonetic Liangshan script was standardized in 1974 and officially promulgated in 1980 to support literacy. Regional differences in shape and reading mean a similar-looking character in an older local script may represent another syllable.

How do I type ꌖ?

Use Unicode hex input or a Yi Syllables keyboard.

If your input method supports Unicode hex, enter A316 and confirm it; the shortcut varies by device and app. A Yi Syllables keyboard layout is a practical option for regular Liangshan Yi typing.