Difference Between 𓀀 and 𓀁 Hieroglyphs

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! 

What’s the difference between 𓀀 and 𓀁? They are very similar symbols in terms of style, but today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to take a closer look at both of them because they do have different functions and meanings in Middle Egyptian! 

But first, let’s review the different types of hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃 symbols! The determinative symbol is a symbol used to show the general meaning of the word! It is basically used as punctuation at the end of the word to show you that it is over, and is not pronounced. An ideogram is a single symbol that is used to write the word it represents and is usually followed by a single stroke 𓏺. A phonogram is a symbol that represents sounds, and is usually part of a larger word. There are phonograms that can represent one (uniliteral), two (biliteral) or three (triliteral) consonants! 

The “seated man 𓀀“ symbol can be a phonogram, ideogram, and most commonly a determinative. As a uniliteral phonogram it represents the sound “j.” It is also an ideogram for “man 𓀀𓏺” and can be used as a first person pronoun. As a determinative, 𓀀 appears at the end of words (such as occupations and names) to show that the person is a man. 

Here are some examples on how to use 𓀀: 

𓀀 – I, Me, My

𓅭𓀀 – Son (the determinative is rarely used later on, but this was the original word)

𓏟𓀀 – Scribe 

𓈖𓍯𓈖𓈖𓍯𓀀 – Nonno

𓆑𓀀/𓇋𓏏𓀀 – Father

𓀀𓏺/𓊃𓀀𓏤 – Man

The “man with hand to mouth 𓀁” symbol functions solely as a determinative symbol and is usually used to represent words that are associated with speaking, thinking, eating, drinking, and for feelings/emotions.

Here are some examples on how to use 𓀁: 

𓇋𓀁 – To Say/Speak

𓃹𓈖𓅓𓀁 – Eat

𓊃𓃀𓇋𓀁 – Drink

𓈖𓐍𓅱𓏏𓀁 – Mourning

𓍿𓎛𓅱𓀁 – Rejoice

As you can see, the 𓀁 symbol appears at the end of the word, meaning that it is the determinative!

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