Names of the Burmese alphabet
The Myanmar people give names to most of the letters of their alphabet. It is convenient to be able to use these names to refer to letters while you are learning them. Here are the names and their descriptive meanings as explained in Burmese (Myanamar). An Introduction to the Script by John Okell. |
| k | ka'-j`i | big ka' |
| K | k'aŽ gw`e | curved k'a |
| g | ga' ngeh | little ga' |
| G | ga' j`i | big ga' |
| c | ngaŽ | no descriptive name |
| s | saŽ lo`un | round saŽ |
| S | s'aŽ lein | twisty s'aŽ |
| z | zaŽ gw`eh | split zaŽ |
| Z | zaŽ my`in zweh | zaŽ with a line attached below |
| v | nyaŽ | no descriptive name |
| 1 | taŽ tal`in jeiq | beir-hook taŽ |
| 2 | t'aŽ wun b`eh | duck t'aŽ |
| 3 | daŽ yin gauq | da with a rounded chest |
| 4 | daŽ ye hmouq | water ladle daŽ |
| 5 | naŽ j`i | big naŽ |
| t | taŽ w`un bu | pot-bellied taŽ |
| T | t'aŽ s'in dun | elephant fetter t'aŽ |
| d | daŽ dw`e | little daŽ |
| D | daŽ auq c'aiq | daŽ with a dent below |
| n | naŽ ngeh | little naŽ |
| p | paŽ zauq | steep paŽ |
| P | p'aŽ capped p'aŽ | p'aŽ with a hat |
| b | baŽ deq c'aiq | baŽ with a dented top |
| B | baŽ go`un | humpback baŽ |
| m | maŽ | no descriptive name |
| y | yaŽ peq leq | yaŽ on its back |
| r | yaŽ gauq | curved yaŽ |
| l | laŽ | no descriptive name |
| w | waŽ | no descriptive name |
| q | thaŽ | no descriptive name |
| h | haŽ | no descriptive name |
| l | laŽ j`i | big laŽ |
| A | aŽ | no descriptive name |