Egyptian triliteral signs

As part of the system of Egyptian hieroglyphs, some hieroglyphs served as phonograms representing one, two, or three consonants, used purely for their consonantal values. This use as phonograms contrasts with use as logograms, where hieroglyphs represent an entire word depicted by the image of the hieroglyph itself that may also have the same one, two, or three consonants.{{sfn | Beylage | 2018 | pp=15-16}}{{sfn | Allen | 2014 | p=33}}

List

The following is a list of hieroglyphs used as phonographs with triconsonantal phonetic values. These forms and their values are from Allen (2014), unless otherwise indicated.{{ref label|AllenList|A}}

!Gardiner !Unicode !Unicode !Transl. !Description !Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
E26	E26	U+130F0	{{font\|text=𓃰\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜣbw}}		{{Citation needed\|reason=Not listed as a triliteral in Allen (2014) or Beylage (2018)\|date=February 2025}}
W10	W10	U+133BA	{{font\|text=𓎺\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|iꜥb}}, {{lang\|egy\|wsḫ}}, {{lang\|egy\|ḥnt}}, {{lang\|egy\|ḥnw}}	Bowl	Allen (2014) has the transliteration {{lang\|egy\|ḥnw}}, others are from Beylage (2018){{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
O28	O28	U+1327A	{{font\|text=𓉺\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|iwn}}	Column with tendon{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=708}}
M1	M1	U+131AD	{{font\|text=𓆭\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|imꜣ}}	Tree
F44	F44	U+1312F	{{font\|text=𓄯\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|isw}}, {{lang\|egy\|iwꜥ}}	Bone with meat{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=29}}	iwꜥ "meat on the bone, haunch"; iwꜥ.w "heir", iwꜥ.t "inheritance";{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=29}} isw "reward, payment"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=735}}
V37	V37	U+133A9	{{font\|text=𓎩\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|idr}}	Bandage	Triliteral in Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
F21	F21	U+13114	{{font\|text=𓄔\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|idn}}, {{lang\|egy\|sḏm}}	Ear
S39	S39	U+132FF	{{font\|text=𓋿\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥwt}}	Shepherd's crook	ꜥw.t "flock"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=713}}
D34	D34	U+1309A	{{font\|text=𓂚\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥḥꜣ}}	Arms with shield and mace	Triliteral in Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
V12	V12	U+1337C	{{font\|text=𓍼\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥrq}}	Band of string{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=717}}	Triliteral in Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}} ꜥrq "wise"; ꜥrq "swear an oath"; ꜥrq.y "last day of the month";{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=739}} sꜥrq "complete, finish off"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=785}}
S42	S42	U+1327A	{{font\|text=𓌂\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥbꜣ}}, {{lang\|egy\|sḫm}}	ꜥbꜣ-scepter
Aa20	Aa20	U+13422	{{font\|text=𓐢\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥpr}}	Bag for clothing{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=722}}	ꜥpr "provide, equip", ꜥpr.w "equipment"; ꜥpr.w "jewelry"; ꜥpr.w "crew of a ship"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=738}}
S34	S34	U+132F9	{{font\|text=𓋹\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥnḫ}}	Ankh symbol	Ideogram for "sandal-strap", as a phonogram, used to represent "life", "live"{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=33}}
P6	P6	U+132A2	{{font\|text=𓊢\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥḥꜥ}}	Mast
aSA	I1	U+13188	{{font\|text=𓆈\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ꜥšꜣ}}	Lizard
wAH	V29	U+1339D	{{font\|text=𓎝\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wꜣḥ}}	Swab
wAs	S40	U+13300	{{font\|text=𓌀\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wꜣs}}, {{lang\|egy\|wꜣb}}	Was Sceptre
wAD	M13	U+131C5	{{font\|text=𓇅\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wꜣḏ}}	Papyrus Stem
wab	D60	U+130C2	{{font\|text=𓃂\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wꜥb}}	Foot with water streaming	Ideogram for pure or clean. Triliteral in Collier and Manley (1998).{{sfn\|Collier\|Manley\|1998\|p=128}}
N8	N8	U+131F6	{{font\|text=𓇶\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wbn}}	Sun with rays
Aa2	Aa2	U+1340E	{{font\|text=𓐎\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wḥꜣ}}	Pustule
P4	P4	U+132A0	{{font\|text=𓊠\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wḥꜥ}}	Boat with net
wHm	F25	U+13119	{{font\|text=𓄙\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wḥm}}	Leg and hoof of an ox
wsr	F12	U+1310A	{{font\|text=𓄊\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wsr}}	Head and neck of jackal
wsx	S11	U+132DD	{{font\|text=𓋝\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wsḫ}}	Broad collar
wDa	Aa21	U+13423	{{font\|text=𓐣\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wḏꜥ}}
wDb	N20	U+13204	{{font\|text=𓈄\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|wḏb}}, {{lang\|egy\|wdb}}{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=487}}	Riverbank
bAs	W2	U+133B0	{{font\|text=𓎰\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|bꜣs}}
H2	H2	U+13180	{{font\|text=𓆀\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|pꜣq}}	Head of a crested bird
H3	H3	U+13181	{{font\|text=𓆁\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|pꜣq}}	Head of spoonbill
F46	F46	U+13132	{{font\|text=𓄲\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|pẖr}}, {{lang\|egy\|dbn}}	Intestine{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=698}}	Triliteral in Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}} {{lang\|egy\|pẖr}} "go around";{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=27}} {{lang\|egy\|pẖr.t}} "prescription, remedy"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=751}}
N9	N9	U+131F7	{{font\|text=𓇷\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|psḏ}}	Moon
N10	N10	U+131F8	{{font\|text=𓇸\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|psḏ}}
mAa	Aa11	U+13419	{{font\|text=𓐙\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|mꜣꜥ}}	Platform
U4	U4	U+13336	{{font\|text=𓌶\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|mꜣꜥ}}		Triliteral phonogram per Allen's sign list and Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=498}}{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
G46	G46	U+13176	{{font\|text=𓅶\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|mꜣw}}		Triliteral phonogram per Allen's sign list and Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=481}}{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
mwt	G14	U+13150	{{font\|text=𓅐\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|mwt}}	Vulture
V32	V32	U+133A3	{{font\|text=𓎣\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|msn}}	Wicker satchel
S10	S10	U+132DC	{{font\|text=𓋜\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|mḏḥ}}	Fillet
nbw	S12	U+132DE	{{font\|text=𓋞\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nbw}}		Triliteral in Collier and Manley (1998).{{sfn\|Collier\|Manley\|1998\|p=128}}
nfr	F35	U+13124	{{font\|text=𓄤\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nfr}}	Heart and windpipe
A17	A17	U+13014	{{font\|text=𓀔\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nni}}	Infant
M22	M22	U+131D1	{{font\|text=𓇑\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nḫb}}	Rush
nTr	R8	U+132B9	{{font\|text=𓊹\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nṯr}}	Cloth on pole
M29	M29	U+131DB	{{font\|text=𓇛\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|nḏm}}	Carob seed-pod
rwD	T12	U+13317	{{font\|text=𓌗\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|rwḏ}}, {{lang\|egy\|rwd}}{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=497}}	Bowstring
Aa5	Aa5	U+13411	{{font\|text=𓐑\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḥip}}	Part of a ship	Variant with biliteral {{lang\|egy\|ḥp}}.{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=506}}
HqA	S38	U+132FE	{{font\|text=𓋾\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḥqꜣ}}	Crook
Htp	R4	U+132B5	{{font\|text=𓊵\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḥtp}}	Bread loaf on mat
Q1	Q1	U+132A8	{{font\|text=𓊨\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḥtm}}	Seat{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=710}}
T6	T6	U+1330D	{{font\|text=𓌍\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḥḏḏ}}		Triliteral phonogram per Allen's sign list.{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \|p=497}}
xpr	L1	U+131A3	{{font\|text=𓆣\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫpr}}	Scarab beetle
xnt	W17	U+133C3	{{font\|text=𓏃\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫnt}}
D19	D19	U+13089	{{font\|text=𓂉\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫnt}}	Nose in profile{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=693}}	ḫntš "plantation", ḫntš "be glad, rejoice"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=778}}
xrp	S42	U+13302	{{font\|text=𓌂\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫrp}}		{{Citation needed\|reason=Not given this triliteral transliteration in Allen (2014) or Beylage (2018)\|date=February 2025}}
xrw	P8	U+132A4	{{font\|text=𓊤\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫrw}}	Oar
xsf	U34	U+13359	{{font\|text=𓍙\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫsf}}	Spindle
U35	U35	U+1335A	{{font\|text=𓍚\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḫsf}}		Variant of U34{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=500}}{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=716}}
Xnm	W9	U+133B8	{{font\|text=𓎸\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ẖnm}}	Stone jug
Z9	Z9	U+133F4	{{font\|text=𓏴\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|zwꜣ}}, {{lang\|egy\|swꜣ}}	Two sticks crossed{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=721}}
zwn	T11	U+13315	{{font\|text=𓌕\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|zwn}}	Arrow{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=714}}
zmA	F36	U+13125	{{font\|text=𓄥\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|zmꜣ}}	Lung and windpipe
F28	F28	U+1311C	{{font\|text=𓄜\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sꜣb}}	Cow's skin{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=698}}
S22	S22	U+132EB	{{font\|text=𓋫\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sꜣṯ}}	Shoulder knot{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=712}}
siA	S32	U+132F7	{{font\|text=𓋷\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|siꜣ}}	Cloth with fringes{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=713}}
sbA	N14	U+131FC	{{font\|text=𓇼\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sbꜣ}}, {{lang\|egy\|dwꜣ}}	Star
spr	F42	U+1312D	{{font\|text=𓄭\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|spr}}	Rib
S29	S29	U+132F4	{{font\|text=𓋴\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|snb}}		{{Citation needed\|reason=Not listed as a triliteral in Allen (2014) or Beylage (2018); the reading is treated as part of an idiomatic abbreviation, not as a triliteral per se\|date=February 2025}}
S31	S31	U+132F6	{{font\|text=𓋶\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|smꜣ}}		Triliteral phonogram per Allen's sign list.{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=496}}
snD	G54	U+1317E	{{font\|text=𓅾\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|snḏ}},{{lang\|egy\|snd}}{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \|p=481}}	Plucked bird
sSm	T31	U+1332B	{{font\|text=𓌫\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sšm}}	Knife sharpener
T32	T32	U+1332C	{{font\|text=𓌬\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sšm}}
stp	U21	U+13349	{{font\|text=𓍉\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|stp}}	Adze and block of wood
V2	V2	U+1336C	{{font\|text=𓍬\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sṯꜣ}}		Triliteral in Beylage (2018).{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=21}}
Aa32	Aa32	U+1342E	{{font\|text=𓐮\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|sṯꜣ}}, {{lang\|egy\|stꜣ}}	Bow	Triliteral phonogram per Allen's sign list.{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \| p=507}}
Sps	A50	U+1303B	{{font\|text=𓀻\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šps}}		Triliteral in Collier and Manley (1998).{{sfn\|Collier\|Manley\|1998\|p=128}}
Sma	M26	U+131D7	{{font\|text=𓇗\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šmꜥ}}	Flowering sedge
Sms	T18	U+1331E	{{font\|text=𓌞\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šms}}	Crook with bundle attached
Sna	U13	U+13341	{{font\|text=𓍁\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šnꜥ}}	Plough{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=715}}
O43	O43	U+13290	{{font\|text=𓊐\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šzp}}	Fence
Szp	O42	U+1328F	{{font\|text=𓊏\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šzp}}	Fence{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=709}}
V6	V6	U+13371	{{font\|text=𓍱\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|šsr}}	Cord with ends up{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=717}}
R5	R5	U+132B6	{{font\|text=𓊶\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|kꜣp}}	Censer for fumigation{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=710}}	kꜣp "fumigate"; kꜣp "shelter, hut"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=800}}
grg	U17	U+13345	{{font\|text=𓍅\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|grg}}	Pick and depression
G4	G4	U+13142	{{font\|text=𓅂\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|tiw}}	Buzzard
S24	S24	U+132ED	{{font\|text=𓋭\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ṯꜣz}}	Knotted belt{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=712}}	ṯꜣs "tie (a knot), knit together"; ṯꜣs "spell, utterance, proverb"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=805}}
S23	S23	U+132EC	{{font\|text=𓋬\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|dmḏ}},{{lang\|egy\|dmd}}{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \|p=495}}	Knotted cloth{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=712}}	{{lang\|egy\|dmḏ}} "assemble, unite", {{lang\|egy\|dmḏ.yt}} "assembly"; {{lang\|egy\|dmḏ}} "in total"{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=808}}
G27	G27	U+1315F	{{font\|text=𓅟\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|dšr}}	Flamingo{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=700}}
S41	S41	U+13301	{{font\|text=𓌁\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḏꜥm}}	Animal-headed staff{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=713}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḏꜥmw}} "electrum"{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \|p=496}}
DbA	T25	U+13325	{{font\|text=𓌥\|size=48px}}	{{lang\|egy\|ḏbꜣ}}, {{lang\|egy\|dbꜣ}}{{sfn \| Allen \| 2014 \|p=498}}	Reed float

Usage

Triliteral signs could be used by themselves to indicate the consonant sequence they represent, or they could more often be written along with phonetic complements, that is, they could appear with uniliteral signs that represent part of their value.{{sfn | Allen | 2014 | p=33}}{{sfn | Beylage | 2018 | p=26}} Some examples of triliterals with phonetic complementation appear in the table below.

class="wikitable" \|+ Examples of phonetic complementation with triliterals{{sfn \| Beylage \| 2018 \| p=26, 28}}
Hieroglyph ! Example ! Transliteration ! Meaning
anx \|anx-n:x \|{{lang\|egy-Latn\|ꜥnḫ}} \|'live'
wHm \|wHm-m-Y1V \|{{lang\|egy-Latn\|wḥm}} \|'repeat'
wsr \|w-wsr-s-r \|{{lang\|egy-Latn\|wsr}} \|'strong'
nfr \|nfr-f:r \|{{lang\|egy-Latn\|nfr}} \|'good'
stp \|s-t*p:stp \|{{lang\|egy-Latn\|stp}} \|'select'

class="wikitable"

|+ Examples of phonetic complementation with triliterals{{sfn | Beylage | 2018 | p=26, 28}}

Hieroglyph

! Example

! Transliteration

! Meaning

anx

|anx-n:x

|{{lang|egy-Latn|ꜥnḫ}}

|'live'

wHm

|wHm-m-Y1V

|{{lang|egy-Latn|wḥm}}

|'repeat'

wsr

|w-wsr-s-r

|{{lang|egy-Latn|wsr}}

|'strong'

nfr

|nfr-f:r

|{{lang|egy-Latn|nfr}}

|'good'

stp

|s-t*p:stp

|{{lang|egy-Latn|stp}}

|'select'

Notes

:A.{{note|AllenList}}See Allen, 2014, pp. 33-34.

References

{{cite book | last = Allen | first = James P. | year = 2014 | title = Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs | edition = Third | publisher = Cambridge University Press | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=lF78Max-h8MC&pg=PA29 |isbn=9781139486354}}
{{cite book | last = Beylage | first = Peter | year = 2018 | title = Middle Egyptian | publisher = The Pennsylvania State University Press |isbn=9781575069777}}
{{cite book | last1 = Collier | first1 = Mark | last2 = Manley | first2 = Bill | year = 1998 | title = How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: A Step-by-step Guide to Teach Yourself | publisher = British Museum Press |isbn=9780520239494}}

External links

[http://www.omniglot.com/writing/egyptian_trilat.htm omniglot.com]