Category: Reading 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!

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost without permission.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at a very popular word that appears a lot in ancient Egyptian writing 𓏟𓏛𓏥! The word “𓄤𓆑𓂋/𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏” translates to “beautiful,” “perfect,” or “good” and can be used not only in titles such as “𓊹𓄤 Perfect God” or names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 such as “Nefertiti 𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓄤𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓄤𓇍𓍘𓏻𓁗,” but also in various words or phrases too! 

In Middle Egyptian there are a couple of ways to write “beautiful,” “perfect,” or “good:” 

𓄤 – the hieroglyphic symbol “nfr” (nefer) can be used on its own to represent the word. 

𓄤𓆑𓂋 – this would also be pronounced as “nfr” (nefer) as the sounds by the uniliteral phonograms would not be repeated. 

𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏 – this would be pronounced as “nfrt,” (neferet) as this is the female form of the word! This is the one that is in my picture! 

When determinatives are used, the meaning of this word can change so be careful! “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓁐” with the woman determinative means “beautiful woman” while “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓏏𓃒” with the cow determinative means cow! Determinatives can totally change the meaning of the word! 

Let’s break down the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Since the horned viper 𓆑 is pointing to the right, we will start reading from the right! 

The “heart and windpipe 𓄤” symbol is a triliteral phonogram that represents the sound “nfr” which in modern times we pronounce like “nefer.”

The “horned viper 𓆑” functions as a uniliteral phonogram and represents the sound “f.” In other words, it can function as a determinative. As a stand-alone symbol, it can also mean he/his. 

The “ mouth – 𓂋” is a uniliteral phonogram for the sound “r” and can be an ideogram for the word “mouth 𓂋𓏺.” 

The “flat loaf of bread 𓏏” is a uniliteral phonogram used to represent the sound “t.” It also functions as the ideogram for the word “bread 𓏏𓏺” and can be used to make words feminine!