Ee (Meitei letter)

I
Usage
Writing systemMeitei (Meetei Mayek)
TypeAbugida
In UnicodeU+ABCF

I (also spelled Ee; Meitei: ꯏ) is the sixteenth letter of the Meitei script (Meetei Mayek). It functions primarily as an independent vowel character, representing the close front unrounded vowel ([i]).[1] In accordance with the unique naming system of the Meitei alphabet, the letter is named after and visually represents blood within the human body.[2][3]

Origin and etymology

Ancient Meitei character "EE" (ꯏ) represents as well as means "blood".jpg

The name I translates directly to "blood" in the Meitei language (Manipuri). Within the script's core 18 original letters (Eyek Ipee), the characters follow a deep physiological logic mapping out the physical components of human anatomy, following Un (hair follicle/skin) as the sequence transitions from the body's outer layer to its internal vital fluid.[4][5][6][7]

According to traditional Meitei philosophy and ancient manuscripts known as Puyas, the graphic shape of the letter mimics a flowing stream, drop, or vessel of human blood. 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

Within Meitei cosmogeny, the alphabet ꯏ (I) is tied to the finality of human creation and lineage. It is linked to Thangcha (Saturday), the seventh and final day of the week, which signifies the completion of the male human being and the descending forward of generations. The alphabet ꯏ belongs to the closing triad of the script, alongside ꯐ and ꯑ, where it specifically symbolizes blood, representing the core fluid necessary for human reproduction and the perpetuation of life.[4][5][6][7]

Linguistic and phonetic usage

Sound value

In modern Meitei, I functions as an independent vowel character representing the close front unrounded vowel ([i]). When written on its own without any modifiers, it represents the pure syllable sound /i/ (or /ee/).[12][13]

Positional variations

  • Syllable-initial: When appearing at the beginning of a syllable or word, it acts as an independent vowel base.[14][12][13]
  • Syllable-final (Lonsum): When appearing at the end of a syllable to form a diphthong closing element without an independent syllable break, it shifts to its dedicated final form (Lonsum), written as ꯢ (U+ABE2). In this position, it marks a palatal off-glide or final semi-vocalic sound component.[14][12][13]

Tonal interaction

As Meitei is a tonal language, the pitch of the syllable containing I is altered depending on the attached vowel diacritics (Cheitap) or the accompanying tone markers to signify distinct meanings.[12][13]

Computer encoding

"Ee/I" was added to the Unicode Standard in October 2009 with the release of version 5.2. It is located inside the "Meetei Mayek" block.[15]

CharacterUnicode Code Point[16][17]NameCharacter Reference
ꯏU+ABCFMEETEI MAYEK LETTER Iꯏ
ꯢU+ABE2MEETEI MAYEK LETTER I LONSUMꯢ

Equivalent letters

In comparative typography, the phonetic properties of I align with corresponding initial vowel characters in other major ancestral and regional writing systems. The table below places the base character alongside its corresponding syllable-final diphthongal offshoot, I Lonsum (representing the final semi-vocalic palatal off-glide), arranged in strict alphabetical order by script family:

Script Family Base Letter Profile (I / Ee) Syllable-Final Profile (I Lonsum)
Equivalent GlyphTransliterationEquivalent GlyphTransliteration
Aramaic𐡉I𐡉I (Coda)
Bengali-AssameseইIয়I (Coda)
Ashokan Brahmi𑀇I𑀬I (Coda)
BurmeseဣIယ်I (Coda)
DevanagariइIय्I (Coda)
GujaratiઇIયI (Coda)
Gupta Brahmi𑀇
(Brahmi glyph)		I𑀬
(Brahmi glyph)		I (Coda)
GurmukhiਇIਯI (Coda)
KannadaಇIಯ್I (Coda)
MalayalamஇIയ്I (Coda)
OdiaଇIୟI (Coda)
Perso-Arabic (Urdu)ایIیI (Coda)
Phoenician𐤉I𐤉I (Coda)
TamilஇIய்I (Coda)
TeluguఇIయ್I (Coda)
ThaiอิIยI (Coda)
TibetanཨིIཡI (Coda)

See also

References

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Look up ꯏ or ꯢ in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to ꯏ.
  1. ↑ "Teaching Meitei Mayek: A New Approach" (PDF). Language in India.
  2. ↑ Noren, akoijambam (1993). Supchanlaba Meetei Lonmit Amasung Lonchat Pathap.
  3. ↑ Kangjiya, Ng (1978). Kanglei Eyekki Waree.
  4. 1 2 Thokchao Pangkanpa, Thokchom (1958). Wakoklon Thilel Sallai Amailon Pukok (in Manipuri). Manipur University Library. India: Digital Library of India; Internet Archive.
  5. 1 2 "Discovery of Kangleipak 11". e-pao.net.
  6. 1 2 "Discovery of Kangleipak 12". e-pao.net.
  7. 1 2 "Meetei Mayek 18 Subagee Kanglon Amasung Wangulon". Internet Archive; Digital Library of India (in Manipuri).
  8. ↑ 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
  9. ↑ "Transliteration from Hindi Script to Meetei Mayek : ( A Rule Based Approach )". www.semanticscholar.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  10. ↑ "Meitei Mayek Alphabets". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  11. ↑ "Meetei Mayek: The Script". tabish.freeshell.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Ray, Sohini (2009). "Writing the Body: Cosmology, Orthography, and Fragments of Modernity in Northeastern India". Anthropological Quarterly. 82 (1): 129–154. ISSN 0003-5491.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Sarangthem, Bobita; Lokendro, Laishram (2022-01-01). "Script and sound system of Meiteilon". Journal of Language and Culture.
  14. 1 2 "Meitei Mayek Transliteration: A Comprehensive Guide". okram.co.in. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  15. ↑ "Meitei Mayek Unicode 2009". e-pao.net. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  16. ↑ "Meetei Mayek | Official Unicode Consortium code chart" (PDF). Unicode.
  17. ↑ "Meetei Mayek | Charts | Name list". unicode.org. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
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