Wai (Meitei letter)
| Wai | |
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| Usage | |
| Writing system | Meitei (Meetei Mayek) |
| Type | Abugida |
| In Unicode | U+ABCB |
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_called_Eeyek_Eepee_letters_of_the_traditional_Meetei_Mayek_writing_system.png) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Meitei alphabets | ||||||||||||||||||
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| History and culture | ||||||||||||||||||
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Meitei script movement • MEELAL Philosophy • Wakoklon Puya |
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| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||
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Unicode block (Extensions) Meitei keyboards • Script support |
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Wai (Meitei: ꯋ) is the twelfth letter of the Meitei script (Meetei Mayek). It primarily represents the labial-velar approximant consonant ([w]).[1] In accordance with the unique naming system of the Meitei alphabet, the letter is named after and visually represents the heart or navel of the human body.[2][3]
Origin and etymology
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The name Wai translates alternatively to "heart" or "navel" depending on different historical manuscript interpretations or semantic layers within the Meitei language (Manipuri). Within the script's core 18 original letters (Eyek Ipee), the characters follow a top-down structural logic based on the human anatomy, following Thou (breast/chest/ribs) as the sequence descends deeper into the central torso.[4][5][6][7]
According to traditional Meitei philosophy and ancient manuscripts known as Puyas, the graphic shape of the letter mimics the central node or rhythmic center of the torso, corresponding to the human heart or the ancestral connection point of the navel. During the late 20th-century script revival movement, this character was officially standardized by the Government of Manipur to its current digital shape.[8][9][10][11]
Meitei mythology and cosmogony
The alphabet ꯋ (Wai) carries immense spiritual significance in traditional Meitei anatomy and calendar systems. Linked to the fifth day of the week, Sakonsen (Thursday), it represents the crowning achievement of internal physical creation. Together with ꯉ and ꯊ, the alphabet ꯋ specifically symbolizes the human heart. Within Meitei beliefs, this character stands as a marker for the central seat of life and the precise internal location where the God Father Creator resides under His continuous care.[4][5][6][7]
Linguistic and phonetic usage
Sound value
In modern Meitei, Wai primarily represents the labial-velar approximant consonant ([w]). When spoken natively with its inherent vowel sound, it is pronounced as /wa/.[12][13]
Positional variations
- Syllable-initial: When appearing at the beginning of a syllable, it retains its standard sound of [w].[14][12][13]
- Syllable-final (Lonsum): The letter Wai does not have a dedicated final consonant form (Lonsum) in the original script block, as traditional Meitei syllables do not naturally terminate in a labial-velar approximant.[14][12][13]
Tonal interaction
As Meitei is a tonal language, the pitch of the syllable containing Wai is altered depending on the attached vowel diacritics (Cheitap) or the accompanying tone markers to signify distinct meanings.[12][13]
Vowel diacritic combinations
Like other abugida scripts, the consonant Wai has an inherent vowel sound of /ə/. To represent alternate or modified vowel sounds, explicit vowel diacritics (known as Cheitap Mayek) are attached to the base letter.[1][2][12][13]
The table below demonstrates how Wai combines with the standard Meitei vowel markers, detailing their respective graphic positioning, Unicode rendering, and phonetic output:
| Diacritic Name | Unicode[15][16] | Graphic Position | Syllable Character | Transliteration | Pronunciation (IPA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (None) | — | Inherent Vowel | ꯋ | wa / wə | [wə] |
| Aatap | U+ABE5 | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯥ | wā / waa | [waː] |
| Inap | U+ABE4 | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯤ | wi | [wi] |
| Unap | U+ABE8 | Sub-posed (Bottom) | ꯋꯨ | wu | [wu] |
| Yetnap | U+ABE6 | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯦ | we | [we] |
| Otnap | U+ABE3 | Post-posed / Right-wrapping | ꯋꯣ | wo | [wo] |
| Cheinap | U+ABE9 | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯩ | wei / wai | [wɐj] |
| Sounap | U+ABE7 | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯧ | wou / wau | [wɐw] |
| Nung | U+ABEA | Post-posed (Right) | ꯋꯪ | wang | [waŋ] |
Computer encoding
Wai was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009 with the release of version 5.2. It is located inside the "Meetei Mayek" block.[17]
| Character | Unicode Code Point[15][16] | Name | Character Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ꯋ | U+ABCB | MEETEI MAYEK LETTER WAI | ꯋ |
Equivalent letters
In comparative typography, the phonetic properties of Wai align with corresponding characters in other major ancestral and regional writing systems. Because Wai contains no historical derived or extended Lom Eeyek counterpart within the script's orthography, its mapping remains restricted solely to its primary sound base, arranged in strict alphabetical order by script family:
| Script Family | Equivalent Glyph | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| Aramaic | 𐡅 | Wa / Va |
| Bengali-Assamese | ৱ | Wa / Va |
| Ashokan Brahmi | 𑀯 | Va / Wa |
| Burmese | ဝ | Wa |
| Devanagari | व | Va / Wa |
| Gujarati | વ | Va / Wa |
| Gupta Brahmi | 𑀯 (Brahmi glyph) | Va / Wa |
| Gurmukhi | ਵ | Wa / Va |
| Kannada | ವ | Va |
| Malayalam | ವ | Va |
| Odia | ବ | Va / Wa |
| Perso-Arabic (Urdu) | و | Wa / Va |
| Phoenician | 𐤅 | Wa / Va |
| Tamil | வ | Va |
| Telugu | வ | Va |
| Thai | ว | Wa |
| Tibetan | ཝ | Wa |
See also
- Meitei input methods (Meitei keyboards)
- Meetei Mayek (Unicode block)
- Meetei Mayek Extensions
- Wikipedia:Meitei script display help
- Wakoklon Heelel Thilel Salai Amailon Pukok Puya
- Philosophy of Meitei script
- Meitei alphabets
- Meitei script movement
- Meetei Erol Eyek Loinasillol Apunba Lup
- Ancient Meitei language
- Medieval Meitei language
- Modern Meitei language
- Meitei philosophy
- Meitei mythology
- Meitei folklore
- Traditional Meitei religion (Sanamahism)
- Sanamahists
- Philosophy of Sanamahism
- Naoriya Phulo script
References
- 1 2 "Teaching Meitei Mayek: A New Approach" (PDF). Language in India.
- 1 2 Noren, akoijambam (1993). Supchanlaba Meetei Lonmit Amasung Lonchat Pathap.
- ↑ Kangjiya, Ng (1978). Kanglei Eyekki Waree.
- 1 2 Thokchao Pangkanpa, Thokchom (1958). Wakoklon Thilel Sallai Amailon Pukok (in Manipuri). Manipur University Library. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
- 1 2 "Discovery of Kangleipak 11". e-pao.net.
- 1 2 "Discovery of Kangleipak 12". e-pao.net.
- 1 2 "Meetei Mayek 18 Subagee Kanglon Amasung Wangulon". Internet Archive; Digital Library of India (in Manipuri).
- ↑ Arambarn Parratt, Saroj Nalini, ed. (2009), "Meetei Mayek or Meetei script chart", The Court Chronicle of the Kings of Manipur, Foundation Books, pp. 145–148, ISBN 978-81-7596-638-3, retrieved 2026-07-15
- ↑ "Transliteration from Hindi Script to Meetei Mayek : ( A Rule Based Approach )". www.semanticscholar.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- ↑ "Meitei Mayek Alphabets". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- ↑ "Meetei Mayek: The Script". tabish.freeshell.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Ray, Sohini (2009). "Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India". Anthropological Quarterly. 82 (1): 129–154. ISSN 0003-5491.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sarangthem, Bobita; Lokendro, Laishram (2022-01-01). "Script and sound system of Meiteilon". Journal of Language and Culture.
- 1 2 "Meitei Mayek Transliteration: A Comprehensive Guide". okram.co.in. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- 1 2 "Meetei Mayek | Official Unicode Consortium code chart" (PDF). Unicode.
- 1 2 "Meetei Mayek | Charts | Name list". unicode.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
- ↑ "Meitei Mayek Unicode 2009". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2026-07-15.