★ U+17B6: Technical Profile of the Khmer Vowel Sign Aa
The Khmer Vowel Sign Aa (“ា” U+17B6) is a fundamental linguistic component of the Khmer script, serving as a dependent vowel that modifies the phonetic output of base consonants. This technical resource at iloveunicode.com provides a deep dive into the encoding specifications, bidirectional data, and implementation details for this essential Cambodian character.
U+17B6 Spacing Mark Specifications
Represented by the Unicode codepoint U+17B6, the Khmer Vowel Sign Aa is officially categorized as a Spacing Mark within the digital landscape. This character was integrated into the Unicode standard in version 3.0 (September, 1999) and is located within the Khmer block of the Basic Multilingual Plane. It functions as a non-reordered combining character, essential for accurate text rendering and script processing in Khmer-supported software environments.
Main Unicode Properties
| Property |
Value |
| Name |
Khmer Vowel Sign Aa |
| Unicode Codepoint |
U+17B6 |
| Unicode Version |
3.0 (September, 1999) |
| Block |
Khmer |
| Plane |
Basic Multilingual Plane |
Bidirectional Data
| Bidirectional Class |
Left To Right (L) |
| Is mirrored? |
No |
Other Unicode Data
| Category |
Spacing Mark |
| Script |
Khmer |
| Combining Class |
Not Reordered |
U+17B6 Conversion & Programming Codes
| Format |
Value |
| HTML (decimal) |
ា |
| HTML (hex) |
ា |
| URL Escape Code |
%E1%9E%B6 |
| CSS |
017B6 |
| JavaScript, JSON |
\u17B6 |
| C, C++, Java |
\u17B6 |
| Python |
\u17B6 |
| Rust |
\u{17B6} |
| Ruby |
\u17B6 |
How to type “ា”
- Windows: Hold Alt, then type 1 7 B 6. Release Alt.
- Mac: Hold Alt ⌥, then type 1 7 B 6. Release Alt.
UTF Encodings
| Standard |
Hexadecimal |
| UTF-8 |
0xE1 0x9E 0xB6 |
| UTF-16 |
0x17B6 |
| UTF-32 |
0x000017B6 |
Conclusion: Advancing Your Unicode Knowledge
Understanding the spacing and combining rules of characters like the Khmer Vowel Sign Aa (U+17B6) is essential for developers working on Southeast Asian localization. By utilizing the precise technical properties of U+17B6, systems can maintain script legibility and proper character sequencing. For more in-depth data and character insights, continue your exploration at iloveunicode.com, your premier source for Unicode expertise.
