Sinhala character tables

This document lists the per-character shaping information needed to shape Sinhala text.

Contents

• Sinhala character table

• Sinhala Archaic Numbers character table

• Vedic Extensions character table

• Miscellaneous character table

Sinhala character table

Sinhala glyphs should be classified as in the following table. Codepoints in the Sinhala 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 64 Sinhala character table

Codepoint	Unicode category	Shaping class	Mark-placement subclass	Glyph
U+0D80	unassigned
U+0D81	Mark [Mn] _	BINDU	TOP_POSITION	ඁ Candrabindu
U+0D82	Mark [Mc]	BINDU	RIGHT_POSITION	ං Anusvara
U+0D83	Mark [Mc]	VISARGA	RIGHT_POSITION	ඃ Visarga
U+0D84	unassigned
U+0D85	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	අ A
U+0D86	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ආ Aa
U+0D87	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඇ Ae
U+0D88	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඈ Aae
U+0D89	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඉ I
U+0D8A	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඊ Ii
U+0D8B	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	උ U
U+0D8C	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඌ Uu
U+0D8D	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඍ Vocalic R
U+0D8E	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඎ Vocalic Rr
U+0D8F	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඏ Vocalic L
U+0D90	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඐ Vocalic Ll
U+0D91	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	එ E
U+0D92	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඒ Ee
U+0D93	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඓ Ai
U+0D94	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඔ O
U+0D95	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඕ Oo
U+0D96	Letter	VOWEL_INDEPENDENT	null	ඖ Au
U+0D97	unassigned
U+0D98	unassigned
U+0D99	unassigned
U+0D9A	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ක Ka
U+0D9B	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඛ Kha
U+0D9C	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ග Ga
U+0D9D	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඝ Gha
U+0D9E	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඞ Nga
U+0D9F	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඟ Nnga
U+0DA0	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ච Ca
U+0DA1	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඡ Cha
U+0DA2	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ජ Ja
U+0DA3	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඣ Jha
U+0DA4	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඤ Nya
U+0DA5	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඥ Jnya
U+0DA6	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඦ Nyja
U+0DA7	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ට Tta
U+0DA8	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඨ Ttha
U+0DA9	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඩ Dda
U+0DAA	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඪ Ddha
U+0DAB	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ණ Nna
U+0DAC	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඬ Nndda
U+0DAD	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ත Ta
U+0DAE	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ථ Tha
U+0DAF	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ද Da
U+0DB0	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ධ Dha
U+0DB1	Letter	CONSONANT	null	න Na
U+0DB2	unassigned
U+0DB3	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඳ Nda
U+0DB4	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ප Pa
U+0DB5	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඵ Pha
U+0DB6	Letter	CONSONANT	null	බ Ba
U+0DB7	Letter	CONSONANT	null	භ Bha
U+0DB8	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ම Ma
U+0DB9	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ඹ Mba
U+0DBA	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ය Ya
U+0DBB	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ර Ra
U+0DBC	unassigned
U+0DBD	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ල La
U+0DBE	unassigned
U+0DBF	unassigned
U+0DC0	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ව Va
U+0DC1	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ශ Sha
U+0DC2	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ෂ Ssa
U+0DC3	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ස Sa
U+0DC4	Letter	CONSONANT	null	හ Ha
U+0DC5	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ළ Lla
U+0DC6	Letter	CONSONANT	null	ෆ Fa
U+0DC7	unassigned
U+0DC8	unassigned
U+0DC9	unassigned
U+0DCA	Mark [MN]	VIRAMA	TOP_POSITION	් Virama
U+0DCB	unassigned
U+0DCC	unassigned
U+0DCD	unassigned
U+0DCE	unassigned
U+0DCF	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ා Sign Aa
U+0DD0	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ැ Sign Ae
U+0DD1	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ෑ Sign Aae
U+0DD2	Mark [Mn]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	TOP_POSITION	ි Sign I
U+0DD3	Mark [Mn]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	TOP_POSITION	ී Sign Ii
U+0DD4	Mark [Mn]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	BOTTOM_POSITION	ු Sign U
U+0DD5	unassigned
U+0DD6	Mark [Mn]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	BOTTOM_POSITION	ූ Sign Uu
U+0DD7	unassigned
U+0DD8	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ෘ Sign Vocalic R
U+0DD9	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	LEFT_POSITION	ෙ Sign E
U+0DDA	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	TOP_AND_LEFT_POSITION	ේ Sign Ee
U+0DDB	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	LEFT_POSITION	ෛ Sign Ai
U+0DDC	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	LEFT_AND_RIGHT_POSITION	ො Sign O
U+0DDD	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	TOP_LEFT_AND_RIGHT_POSITION	ෝ Sign Oo
U+0DDE	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	LEFT_AND_RIGHT_POSITION	ෞ Sign Au
U+0DDF	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ෟ Sign Vocalic L
U+0DE0	unassigned
U+0DE1	unassigned
U+0DE2	unassigned
U+0DE3	unassigned
U+0DE4	unassigned
U+0DE5	unassigned
U+0DE6	Number	NUMBER	null	෦ Digit Zero
U+0DE7	Number	NUMBER	null	෧ Digit One
U+0DE8	Number	NUMBER	null	෨ Digit Two
U+0DE9	Number	NUMBER	null	෩ Digit Three
U+0DEA	Number	NUMBER	null	෪ Digit Four
U+0DEB	Number	NUMBER	null	෫ Digit Five
U+0DEC	Number	NUMBER	null	෬ Digit Six
U+0DED	Number	NUMBER	null	෭ Digit Seven
U+0DEE	Number	NUMBER	null	෮ Digit Eight
U+0DEF	Number	NUMBER	null	෯ Digit Nine
U+0DF0	unassigned
U+0DF1	unassigned
U+0DF2	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ෲ Sign Vocalic Rr
U+0DF3	Mark [Mc]	VOWEL_DEPENDENT	RIGHT_POSITION	ෳ Sign Vocalic Ll
U+0DF4	Punctuation	null	null	෴ Kunddaliya
U+0DF5	unassigned
U+0DF6	unassigned
U+0DF7	unassigned
U+0DF8	unassigned
U+0DF9	unassigned
U+0DFA	unassigned
U+0DFB	unassigned
U+0DFC	unassigned
U+0DFD	unassigned
U+0DFE	unassigned
U+0DFF	unassigned

Sinhala Archaic Numbers character table

Sinhala text runs may also include glyphs from the Sinhala Archaic Numbers block. These characters should be classified as follows.

Table 65 Sinhala Archaic Numbers character table

Codepoint	Unicode category	Shaping class	Mark-placement subclass	Glyph
U+111E0	unassigned
U+111E1	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇡 Archaic Digit One
U+111E2	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇢 Archaic Digit Two
U+111E3	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇣 Archaic Digit Three
U+111E4	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇤 Archaic Digit Four
U+111E5	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇥 Archaic Digit Five
U+111E6	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇦 Archaic Digit Six
U+111E7	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇧 Archaic Digit Seven
U+111E8	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇨 Archaic Digit Eight
U+111E9	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇩 Archaic Digit Nine
U+111EA	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇪 Archaic Number Ten
U+111EB	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇫 Archaic Number 20
U+111EC	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇬 Archaic Number 30
U+111ED	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇭 Archaic Number 40
U+111EE	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇮 Archaic Number 50
U+111EF	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇯 Archaic Number 60
U+111F0	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇰 Archaic Number 70
U+111F1	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇱 Archaic Number 80
U+111F2	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇲 Archaic Number 90
U+111F3	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇳 Archaic Number 100
U+111F4	Number	NUMBER	null	𑇴 Archaic Number 1000
U+111F5	unassigned
U+111F6	unassigned
U+111F7	unassigned
U+111F8	unassigned
U+111F9	unassigned
U+111FA	unassigned
U+111FB	unassigned
U+111FC	unassigned
U+111FD	unassigned
U+111FE	unassigned
U+111FF	unassigned

Vedic Extensions character table

Sanskrit runs written in the Sinhala script may also include characters from the Vedic Extensions block. These characters should be classified as follows.

Note: See the Vedic Extensions document for additional information.

Table 66 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

Other important characters that may be encountered when shaping runs of Sinhala 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 67 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 used to request the subjoined form of a consonant. The sequence “Consonant_1,Halant,ZWJ,Consonant_2” is used to specify the subjoined form of “Consonant_2”.

A secondary usage of the zero-width joiner is to explicitly request the formation of “Reph”. An initial “Ra,Halant,ZWJ” sequence should produce a “Reph”.

The zero-width non-joiner (ZWNJ) is not used in shaping runs of Sinhala text. The ZWNJ is referenced below in various regular expressions and shaping rules, however, because it is used by other Indic scripts.

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”.