𐤆

𐤆 U+10906, 𐤆 PHOENICIAN LETTER ZAI ← 𐤅 [U+10905] Phoenician 𐤇 → [U+10907]

Translingual

Letter

𐤆 (z)

1. The seventh letter of the Phoenician abjad, called zayin.

Phoenician

Alternative forms

• 𐤆𐤍 (zn) — Byblian
• 𐤀𐤆 (ʾz) — Cypriot

Etymology

From Proto-Semitic *z (/⁠ᵈz⁠/), merged with *ḏ (*ð). Compare Biblical Hebrew זֶה (ze, “this”). Other related words include Hebrew הַזֶּה (hazé), Aramaic דִּי (dī), and Arabic ذُو (ḏū) and هٰذَا (hāḏā).

Determiner

𐤆 (ezde) m or f (plural 𐤀𐤋)

1. this
   • 9th century BC, Kilamuwa Stela:

     𐤅𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤄𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤆 𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤑𐤌𐤃 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕 𐤓𐤀𐤔 𐤁𐤏𐤋 𐤇𐤌𐤍

     wmy yšḥt hspr z yšḥt rʾš bʿl ṣmd wyšḥt rʾš bʿl ḥmn

     and whoever destroys this inscription may his head be destroyed by Baal Samad and may his head be destroyed by Baal Hamon

     (literally, “and-who he-destroy inscription this he-destroy head Baal Samad and-he-destroy head Baal Hamon”)

Letter

𐤆 (z)

1. The seventh letter of the Phoenician abjad, representing the consonant /z/ ([ᵈz]).

Descendants

• Ancient Greek: Ζ
  • Cyrillic: З
  • Old Italic: 𐌆
    • Latin: Z
• Aramaic: 𐡆
  • Syriac: ܙ
    • Arabic: ز
  • Hebrew: ז
• (debated) Brahmi: 𑀚 (see there for further descendants)