The full set of Egyptian hieroglyphs
Ancient Egyptians wrote with pictures. Unicode includes more than 1,000 of those signs, and this page lists every one: people ๐, gods ๐น, body parts ๐, animals ๐ , birds ๐ , plants ๐ฐ, the sun ๐ณ, water ๐, buildings ๐ and tools ๐. Each sign is real text you can copy and paste.
The signs follow the order of Gardinerโs sign list, the system scholars use to group hieroglyphs by what they show.
How the signs are grouped
- A and B: Men and women in different poses, like ๐ and ๐.
- C: Gods and goddesses, like ๐น.
- D: Parts of the human body, like the eye ๐ and the arm ๐.
- E to I: Mammals, birds, fish and reptiles, like ๐ , ๐ and ๐.
- M and N: Plants, the sky, the earth and water, like ๐ฐ, ๐ณ and ๐.
- O to Z: Buildings, boats, clothing, tools, and strokes, like ๐ and ๐.
Famous hieroglyphs
Some signs are known around the world. The eye of Horus ๐ is a symbol of protection and health. The ankh ๐น means life. The scarab beetle ๐ฃ stands for the sun and rebirth. The owl ๐ is used for the sound โmโ, and the horned viper ๐ for the sound โfโ. For a short list of these favourites, open the Egyptian hieroglyphs collection.
How hieroglyphs work
Hieroglyphs are not just pictures of things. Some signs stand for sounds, some for whole words and some are hints that tell you what kind of word you are reading. Egyptians could write left to right, right to left or top to bottom, and the direction the animals and people face tells you which way to read.
Unicode shows each sign on its own. Arranging them into the stacked blocks you see on temple walls needs special software, but single signs and short lines work well in normal text.
Uses for hieroglyph characters
Students and teachers use hieroglyphs in history projects and presentations. Writers use them in stories set in ancient Egypt. Designers use them for posters, tattoos and logos. And many people simply like them as unique symbols in bios and usernames, especially ๐, ๐น and ๐ฃ.
Fonts and display
Hieroglyphs need a font that includes them. Recent versions of Windows, macOS, iOS and Android have one, so most people will see them. On older devices they may appear as boxes. Open a sign with the i button to see its official name, such as โegyptian hieroglyph d010โ, which matches Gardinerโs code.
Frequently asked questions
- How many hieroglyphs are in Unicode?
- The main Egyptian hieroglyphs block has 1,072 signs, and this page lists them all.
- What does ๐ mean?
- ๐ is the eye of Horus, an ancient symbol of protection, royal power and good health.
- Can I write my name in hieroglyphs?
- You can match the sounds of your name to signs, like ๐ for m. Real Egyptian writing was more complex, but it is a fun way to try.
- Why do hieroglyphs show as boxes?
- Your device does not have a hieroglyph font. Updating the system usually adds one.
- Are hieroglyphs free to use in designs?
- Yes. Unicode characters are free to use. Check the licence of the font you design with, especially for logos.