Norbert’s Corner

Niji in Unicode

March 25, 2018

This document specifies the encoding of the Niji script within the Unicode Private Use Area and serves as the basis of its registration in the Under-ConScript Unicode Registry. At this point, the Niji script is not a candidate for encoding in the Unicode Standard because it doesn’t have a significant user base. For more information about the script, see The Niji Script.

Niji: U+ED40 – U+ED7F

The Niji script applies the ideas underlying the Korean hangeul script to the Japanese language. It provides separate consonant and vowel characters to enable a logical phonemic writing system.

Syllables. Niji syllables consist of an initial consonant, or the non-consonant character to indicate the lack of an initial consonant, optionally a medial consonant y, a vowel, optionally a prolonged sound mark , and optionally a final consonant. Every consonant except y can be used as an initial consonant. Only y can be used as a medial consonant; it cannot be used with i. Only n and ts can be used as final consonants. n and ts are interpreted as final consonants if they immediately follow a vowel or a prolonged sound mark and are not immediately followed by a medial consonant or a vowel; they are interpreted as initial consonants otherwise.

Rendering. The consonants and vowels of each syllable are combined into a visual entity that leaves the components recognizable, but also shows that they belong together. The vowels a, i, and e render to the right side of the initial consonant; the vowels u and o below the initial consonant. A medial consonant y forms a ligature with the following vowel by doubling that vowel’s short stroke; the ligature is positioned like the vowel that it includes. A prolonged sound mark either renders to the right of the group formed by initial consonant, medial consonant, and vowel, or forms a ligature with the vowel by doubling the vowel’s main stroke. A final consonant renders below the group formed by the initial consonant and the vowel or vowel ligature, or below the prolonged sound mark if present and rendered separately.

Fonts may, but are not required to, give syllables uniform height and width.

Layout, punctuation, digits. Niji text is written from left to right. Words are separated by spaces, with precise rules yet to be determined. Common script punctuation and digits are used.

Character assignments

The character assignments for the Niji script are preliminary and may change.

ED4ED5
0ED40ED50
1ED41
2ED42ED52
3ED43ED53
4ED44ED54
5ED45ED55
6ED46ED56
7ED47ED57
8ED48ED58
9ED49ED59
AED4AED5A
BED5B
CED4C
DED4D
EED4E
FED4FED5F
Vowels
ED40NIJI VOWEL A
→ 1161 HANGUL JUNGSEONG A
ED41NIJI VOWEL I
→ 1175 HANGUL JUNGSEONG I
ED42NIJI VOWEL U
→ 116E HANGUL JUNGSEONG U
ED43NIJI VOWEL E
→ 1165 HANGUL JUNGSEONG EO
ED44NIJI VOWEL O
→ 1169 HANGUL JUNGSEONG O
Consonants
ED45NIJI INITIAL NON-CONSONANT
→ 110B HANGUL CHOSEONG IEUNG
ED46NIJI CONSONANT K
→ 1100 HANGUL CHOSEONG KIYEOK
ED47NIJI CONSONANT G
ED48NIJI CONSONANT S
→ 1109 HANGUL CHOSEONG SIOS
ED49NIJI CONSONANT Z
ED4ANIJI CONSONANT SH
ED4CNIJI CONSONANT T
→ 1103 HANGUL CHOSEONG TIKEUT
ED4DNIJI CONSONANT D
ED4ENIJI CONSONANT CH
→ 110C HANGUL CHOSEONG CIEUC
ED4FNIJI CONSONANT J
ED50NIJI CONSONANT TS
ED52NIJI CONSONANT N
→ 1102 HANGUL CHOSEONG NIEUN
→ 11AB HANGUL JONGSEONG NIEUN
ED53NIJI CONSONANT H
→ 1159 HANGUL CHOSEONG YEORINHIEUH
ED54NIJI CONSONANT P
ED55NIJI CONSONANT B
→ 1107 HANGUL CHOSEONG PIEUP
ED56NIJI CONSONANT F
ED57NIJI CONSONANT V
ED58NIJI CONSONANT M
→ 1106 HANGUL CHOSEONG MIEUM
ED59NIJI CONSONANT Y
ED5ANIJI CONSONANT L
→ 1105 HANGUL CHOSEONG RIEUL
ED5BNIJI CONSONANT W
Lengthening mark
ED5FNIJI PROLONGED SOUND MARK
→ 30FC KATAKANA-HIRAGANA PROLONGED SOUND MARK

Character Properties

The character properties for the Niji script are preliminary and may change.

ED40;NIJI VOWEL A;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED41;NIJI VOWEL I;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED42;NIJI VOWEL U;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED43;NIJI VOWEL E;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED44;NIJI VOWEL O;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED45;NIJI INITIAL NON-CONSONANT;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED46;NIJI CONSONANT K;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED47;NIJI CONSONANT G;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED48;NIJI CONSONANT S;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED49;NIJI CONSONANT Z;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED4A;NIJI CONSONANT SH;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED4C;NIJI CONSONANT T;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED4D;NIJI CONSONANT D;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED4E;NIJI CONSONANT CH;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED4F;NIJI CONSONANT J;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED50;NIJI CONSONANT TS;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED52;NIJI CONSONANT N;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED53;NIJI CONSONANT H;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED54;NIJI CONSONANT P;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED55;NIJI CONSONANT B;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED56;NIJI CONSONANT F;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED57;NIJI CONSONANT V;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED58;NIJI CONSONANT M;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED59;NIJI CONSONANT Y;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED5A;NIJI CONSONANT L;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED5B;NIJI CONSONANT W;Lo;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

ED5F;NIJI PROLONGED SOUND MARK;Lm;0;L;;;;;N;;;;;

More information

For more information about the Niji script, see The Niji Script.