# Bengali character tables #
This document lists the per-character shaping information needed to
[shape Bengali text](../opentype-shaping-bengali.md).
**Contents**
- [Bengali character table](#bengali-character-table)
- [Vedic Extensions character table](#vedic-extensions-character-table)
- [Miscellaneous character table](#miscellaneous-character-table)
## Bengali character table ##
Bengali glyphs should be classified as in the following
table. Codepoints in the Bengali block with no assigned meaning are
designated as _unassigned_ in the _Unicode category_ column.
Assigned codepoints with a _null_ in the _Shaping class_
column evoke no special behavior from the shaping engine. Note that
this does include some valid codepoints, such as currency marks,
punctuation, and other symbols.
> Note: the `NUMBER` and `SYMBOL` _Shaping classes_ are important
> during syllable identification, but generally evoke no further
> special behavior during the rest of the shaping process.
The _Mark-placement subclass_ column indicates mark-placement
positioning for codepoints in the _Mark_ category. Assigned, non-mark
codepoints have a _null_ in this column and evoke no special
mark-placement behavior. Marks tagged with [Mn] in the _Unicode
category_ column are categorized as non-spacing; marks tagged with
[Mc] are categorized as spacing-combining.
Some codepoints in the following table use a _Shaping class_ that
differs from the codepoint's Unicode _General Category_. The _Shaping
class_ takes precedence during OpenType shaping, as it captures more
specific, script-aware behavior.
:::{table} Bengali character table
| Codepoint | Unicode category | Shaping class | Mark-placement subclass | Glyph |
|:----------|:-----------------|:------------------|:---------------------------|:-----------------------------|
|`U+0980` | Letter | CONSONANT_PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | ঀ Anji |
|`U+0981` | Mark [Mn] | BINDU | TOP_POSITION | ঁ Candrabindu |
|`U+0982` | Mark [Mc] | BINDU | RIGHT_POSITION | ং Anusvara |
|`U+0983` | Mark [Mc] | VISARGA | RIGHT_POSITION | ঃ Visarga |
|`U+0984` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+0985` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | অ A |
|`U+0986` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | আ Aa |
|`U+0987` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ই I |
|`U+0988` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঈ Ii |
|`U+0989` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | উ U |
|`U+098A` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঊ Uu |
|`U+098B` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঋ Vocalic R |
|`U+098C` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঌ Vocalic L |
|`U+098D` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+098E` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+098F` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | এ E |
| | | | |
|`U+0990` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঐ Ai |
|`U+0991` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+0992` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+0993` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ও O |
|`U+0994` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ঔ Au |
|`U+0995` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ক Ka |
|`U+0996` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | খ Kha |
|`U+0997` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | গ Ga |
|`U+0998` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঘ Gha |
|`U+0999` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঙ Nga |
|`U+099A` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | চ Ca |
|`U+099B` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ছ Cha |
|`U+099C` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | জ Ja |
|`U+099D` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঝ Jha |
|`U+099E` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঞ Nya |
|`U+099F` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ট Tta |
| | | | |
|`U+09A0` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঠ Ttha |
|`U+09A1` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ড Dda |
|`U+09A2` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঢ Ddha |
|`U+09A3` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ণ Nna |
|`U+09A4` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ত Ta |
|`U+09A5` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | থ Tha |
|`U+09A6` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | দ Da |
|`U+09A7` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ধ Dha |
|`U+09A8` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ন Na |
|`U+09A9` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09AA` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | প Pa |
|`U+09AB` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ফ Pha |
|`U+09AC` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ব Ba |
|`U+09AD` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ভ Bha |
|`U+09AE` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ম Ma |
|`U+09AF` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | য Ya |
| | | | |
|`U+09B0` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | র Ra |
|`U+09B1` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09B2` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ল La |
|`U+09B3` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09B4` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09B5` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09B6` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | শ Sha |
|`U+09B7` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ষ Ssa |
|`U+09B8` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | স Sa |
|`U+09B9` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | হ Ha |
|`U+09BA` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09BB` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09BC` | Mark [Mn] | NUKTA | BOTTOM_POSITION | ় Nukta |
|`U+09BD` | Letter | AVAGRAHA | _null_ | ঽ Avagraha |
|`U+09BE` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | RIGHT_POSITION | া Sign Aa |
|`U+09BF` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | LEFT_POSITION | ি Sign I |
| | | | |
|`U+09C0` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | RIGHT_POSITION | ী Sign Ii |
|`U+09C1` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ু Sign U |
|`U+09C2` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ূ Sign Uu |
|`U+09C3` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ৃ Sign Vocalic R |
|`U+09C4` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ৄ Sign Vocalic Rr |
|`U+09C5` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09C6` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09C7` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | LEFT_POSITION | ে Sign E |
|`U+09C8` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | LEFT_POSITION | ৈ Sign Ai |
|`U+09C9` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09CA` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09CB` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | LEFT_AND_RIGHT_POSITION | ো Sign O |
|`U+09CC` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | LEFT_AND_RIGHT_POSITION | ৌ Sign Au |
|`U+09CD` | Mark [Mn] | VIRAMA | BOTTOM_POSITION | ্ Virama |
|`U+09CE` | Letter | CONSONANT_DEAD | _null_ | ৎ Khanda Ta |
|`U+09CF` | _unassigned_ | | | |
| | | | |
|`U+09D0` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D1` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D2` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D3` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D4` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D5` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D6` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D7` | Mark [Mc] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | RIGHT_POSITION | ৗ Au Length Mark |
|`U+09D8` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09D9` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09DA` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09DB` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09DC` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ড় Rra |
|`U+09DD` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ঢ় Rha |
|`U+09DE` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09DF` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | য় Yya |
| | | | |
|`U+09E0` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ৠ Vocalic Rr |
|`U+09E1` | Letter | VOWEL_INDEPENDENT | _null_ | ৡ Vocalic Ll |
|`U+09E2` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ৢ Sign Vocalic L |
|`U+09E3` | Mark [Mn] | VOWEL_DEPENDENT | BOTTOM_POSITION | ৣ Sign Vocalic Ll |
|`U+09E4` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09E5` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+09E6` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ০ Digit Zero |
|`U+09E7` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ১ Digit One |
|`U+09E8` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ২ Digit Two |
|`U+09E9` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৩ Digit Three |
|`U+09EA` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৪ Digit Four |
|`U+09EB` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৫ Digit Five |
|`U+09EC` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৬ Digit Six |
|`U+09ED` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৭ Digit Seven |
|`U+09EE` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৮ Digit Eight |
|`U+09EF` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৯ Digit Nine |
| | | | |
|`U+09F0` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ৰ Assamese Ra |
|`U+09F1` | Letter | CONSONANT | _null_ | ৱ Assamese Wa |
|`U+09F2` | Symbol | SYMBOL | _null_ | ৲ Rupee Mark |
|`U+09F3` | Symbol | SYMBOL | _null_ | ৳ Rupee Sign |
|`U+09F4` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৴ Numerator One |
|`U+09F5` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৵ Numerator Two |
|`U+09F6` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৶ Numerator Three |
|`U+09F7` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৷ Numerator Four |
|`U+09F8` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৸ Numerator One Less Than Denominator |
|`U+09F9` | Number | NUMBER | _null_ | ৹ Denominator Sixteen |
|`U+09FA` | Symbol | SYMBOL | _null_ | ৺ Isshar |
|`U+09FB` | Symbol | SYMBOL | _null_ | ৻ Ganda Mark |
|`U+09FC` | Letter | _null_ | _null_ | ৼ Vedic Anusvara |
|`U+09FD` | Punctuation | _null_ | _null_ | ৽ Abbreviation Sign |
|`U+09FE` | Mark [Mn] | SYLLABLE_MODIFIER | TOP_POSITION | ৾ Sandhi Mark |
|`U+09FF` | _unassigned_ | | | |
:::
## Vedic Extensions character table ##
Sanskrit runs written in the Bengali script may also include
characters from the Vedic Extensions block. These characters should be
classified as follows.
> Note: See the [Vedic Extensions](../opentype-shaping-vedic-extensions.md)
> document for additional information.
:::{table} Vedic Extensions character table
| Codepoint | Unicode category | Shaping class | Mark-placement subclass | Glyph |
|:----------|:-----------------|:------------------|:---------------------------|:-----------------------------|
|`U+1CD0` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳐ Tone Karshana |
|`U+1CD1` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳑ Tone Shara |
|`U+1CD2` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳒ Tone Prenkha |
|`U+1CD3` | Punctuation | _null_ | _null_ | ᳓ Sign Nihshvasa |
|`U+1CD4` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | OVERSTRUCK | ᳔ Tone Midline Svarita |
|`U+1CD5` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳕ Tone Aggravated Independent Svarita |
|`U+1CD6` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳖ Tone Independent Svarita |
|`U+1CD7` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳗ Tone Kathaka Independent Svarita |
|`U+1CD8` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳘ Tone Candra Below |
|`U+1CD9` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳙ Tone Kathaka Independent Svarita Schroeder |
|`U+1CDA` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳚ Tone Double Svarita |
|`U+1CDB` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳛ Tone Triple Svarita |
|`U+1CDC` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳜ Tone Kathaka Anudatta |
|`U+1CDD` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳝ Tone Dot Below |
|`U+1CDE` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳞ Tone Two Dots Below |
|`U+1CDF` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳟ Tone Three Dots Below |
| | | | |
|`U+1CE0` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳠ Tone Rigvedic Kashmiri Independent Svarita |
|`U+1CE1` | Mark [Mc] | CANTILLATION | RIGHT_POSITION | ᳡ Tone Atharavedic Independent Svarita |
|`U+1CE2` | Mark [Mn] | AVAGRAHA | OVERSTRUCK | ᳢ Sign Visarga Svarita |
|`U+1CE3` | Mark [Mn] | _null_ | OVERSTRUCK | ᳣ Sign Visarga Udatta |
|`U+1CE4` | Mark [Mn] | _null_ | OVERSTRUCK | ᳤ Sign Reversed Visarga Udatta |
|`U+1CE5` | Mark [Mn] | _null_ | OVERSTRUCK | ᳥ Sign Visarga Anudatta |
|`U+1CE6` | Mark [Mn] | _null_ | OVERSTRUCK | ᳦ Sign Reversed Visarga Anudatta |
|`U+1CE7` | Mark [Mn] | _null_ | OVERSTRUCK | ᳧ Sign Visarga Udatta With Tail |
|`U+1CE8` | Mark [Mn] | AVAGRAHA | OVERSTRUCK | ᳨ Sign Visarga Anudatta With Tail |
|`U+1CE9` | Letter | SYMBOL | _null_ | ᳩ Sign Anusvara Antargomukha |
|`U+1CEA` | Letter | _null_ | _null_ | ᳪ Sign Anusvara Bahirgomukha |
|`U+1CEB` | Letter | _null_ | _null_ | ᳫ Sign Anusvara Vamagomukha |
|`U+1CEC` | Letter | SYMBOL | _null_ | ᳬ Sign Anusvara Vamagomukha With Tail |
|`U+1CED` | Mark [Mn] | AVAGRAHA | BOTTOM_POSITION | ᳭ Sign Tiryak |
|`U+1CEE` | Letter | SYMBOL | _null_ | ᳮ Sign Hexiform Long Anusvara |
|`U+1CEF` | Letter | _null_ | _null_ | ᳯ Sign Long Anusvara |
| | | | |
|`U+1CF0` | Letter | _null_ | _null_ | ᳰ Sign Rthang Long Anusvara |
|`U+1CF2` | Letter | CONSONANT_DEAD | _null_ | ᳲ Sign Ardhavisarga |
|`U+1CF3` | Letter | CONSONANT_DEAD | _null_ | ᳳ Sign Rotated Ardhavisarga |
|`U+1CF3` | Mark [Mc] | VISARGA | _null_ | ᳳ Sign Rotated Ardhavisarga |
|`U+1CF4` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ᳴ Tone Candra Above |
|`U+1CF5` | Letter | CONSONANT_WITH_STACKER | _null_ | ᳵ Sign Jihvamuliya |
|`U+1CF6` | Letter | CONSONANT_WITH_STACKER | _null_ | ᳶ Sign Upadhmaniya |
|`U+1CF7` | Mark [Mc] | _null_ | _null_ | ᳷ Sign Atikrama |
|`U+1CF8` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | _null_ | ᳸ Tone Ring Above |
|`U+1CF9` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | _null_ | ᳹ Tone Double Ring Above |
|`U+1CFA` | Letter | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | ᳺ Sign Double Anusvara Antargomukha |
|`U+1CFB` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+1CFC` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+1CFD` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+1CFE` | _unassigned_ | | | |
|`U+1CFF` | _unassigned_ | | | |
:::
## Miscellaneous character table ##
In addition to general punctuation, runs of Bengali text often use the
danda (`U+0964`) and double danda (`U+0965`) punctuation marks from
the Devanagari block. Bengali text can also incorporate the udatta
(`U+0951`) and anudatta (`U+0952`) signs from the Devanagari block.
:::{table} Additional punctuation character table
| Codepoint | Unicode category | Shaping class | Mark-placement subclass | Glyph |
|:----------|:-----------------|:------------------|:---------------------------|:-------------------------------|
|`U+0951` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | TOP_POSITION | ॑ Udatta |
|`U+0952` | Mark [Mn] | CANTILLATION | BOTTOM_POSITION | ॒ Anudatta |
|`U+0964` | Punctuation | _null_ | _null_ | । Danda |
|`U+0965` | Punctuation | _null_ | _null_ | ॥ Double Danda |
:::
Other important characters that may be encountered when shaping runs
of Bengali text include the dotted-circle placeholder (`U+25CC`), the
zero-width joiner (`U+200D`) and zero-width non-joiner (`U+200C`), and
the no-break space (`U+00A0`).
The dotted-circle placeholder is frequently used when displaying a
dependent vowel (matra) or a combining mark in isolation. Real-world
text syllables may also use other characters, such as hyphens or dashes,
in a similar placeholder fashion; shaping engines should cope with
this situation gracefully.
:::{table} Miscellaneous character table
| Codepoint | Unicode category | Shaping class | Mark-placement subclass | Glyph |
|:----------|:-----------------|:------------------|:---------------------------|:-------------------------------|
|`U+00A0` | Separator | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | No-break space |
|`U+200C` | Other | NON_JOINER | _null_ | Zero-width non-joiner |
|`U+200D` | Other | JOINER | _null_ | Zero-width joiner |
|`U+2010` | Punctuation | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | ‐ Hyphen |
|`U+2011` | Punctuation | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | ‑ No-break hyphen |
|`U+2012` | Punctuation | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | ‒ Figure dash |
|`U+2013` | Punctuation | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | – En dash |
|`U+2014` | Punctuation | PLACEHOLDER | _null_ | — Em dash |
|`U+25CC` | Symbol | DOTTED_CIRCLE | _null_ | ◌ Dotted circle |
:::
The zero-width joiner (ZWJ) is primarily used to prevent the formation
of a conjunct from a "_Consonant_,Halant,_Consonant_" sequence. The
sequence "_Consonant_,Halant,ZWJ,_Consonant_" blocks the formation of
a conjunct between the two consonants.
Note, however, that the "_Consonant_,Halant" subsequence in the above
example may still trigger a half-forms feature. To prevent the
application of the half-forms feature in addition to preventing the
conjunct, the zero-width non-joiner (ZWNJ) must be used instead. The
sequence "_Consonant_,Halant,ZWNJ,_Consonant_" should produce the
first consonant in its standard form, followed by an explicit
"Halant".
A secondary usage of the zero-width joiner is to prevent the formation of
"Reph". An initial "Ra,Halant,ZWJ" sequence should not produce a "Reph",
where an initial "Ra,Halant" sequence without the zero-width joiner
otherwise would.
The no-break space (NBSP) is primarily used to display those
codepoints that are defined as non-spacing (marks, dependent vowels
(matras), below-base consonant forms, and post-base consonant forms)
in an isolated context, as an alternative to displaying them
superimposed on the dotted-circle placeholder. These sequences will
match "NBSP,ZWJ,Halant,_Consonant_", "NBSP,_mark_", or "NBSP,_matra_".