Miao Unicode Block

The Miao Unicode block is a collection of characters designed to support the Pollard script, which is used primarily for writing various Miao languages. Miao languages are spoken by the Miao people, an ethnic group primarily located in southern China, with communities also found in Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. The Pollard script, also known as the Pollard Miao script, was developed in the early 20th century by the missionary Samuel Pollard. It is a unique script that employs a system of modified Latin characters in combination with tone marks to accurately represent the sounds and tonal inflections characteristic of Miao languages. The Unicode block covers the range from U+16F00 to U+16F9F and includes an array of consonant and vowel characters alongside a series of tone marks.

This script plays a crucial role in the cultural preservation and literacy efforts among the Miao communities, allowing for the documentation of literature, folklore, and educational materials in the native languages. Additionally, the inclusion of the Miao block in Unicode facilitates digital communication and data storage, promoting the integration of the script into modern technology and software. This technological support ensures that Miao-speaking communities can maintain their linguistic heritage while also participating in the global digital landscape. The Unicode standard itself has become an essential tool in preserving linguistic diversity worldwide, and the Miao block is a significant part of this broader effort to support minority languages and scripts.

View a range of fonts that support the Miao block.

Below you will find all the characters that are in the Miao unicode block. Currently there are 149 characters in this block.