When I started researching this script, I discovered that Omniglot, my first-stop source for writing system information, didn't actually have a complete listing of characters or their pronunciations. And in fact, finding this information anywhere was extremely difficult.
Nüshu has been in Unicode since 2017, however, and by piecing together multiple Unicode standards documents (some giving the reference graphics per codepoint, others the romanized transcription), I was able to put together this table of the pronunciations of Nüshu characters. Omniglot reports that Nushu has between 6 and 7 hundred characters, but Unicode 13 encodes 396 characters, ordered by stroke count, phonetic final, phonetic initial, and tone.
Note that the sound system encoded by Nüshu is not identical to that of modern standard Mandarin, and the transcription is not pinyin. This document describes the phonetic transcription, but it is not quite IPA. If any sinologists who can tell me the IPA equivalents end up reading this, I would love to update the table with that information! The pronunciation data used in Unicode sources was in turn derived from the book Nüshu Duben.
Note that the sound system encoded by Nüshu is not identical to that of modern standard Mandarin, and the transcription is not pinyin. This document describes the phonetic transcription, but it is not quite IPA. If any sinologists who can tell me the IPA equivalents end up reading this, I would love to update the table with that information! The pronunciation data used in Unicode sources was in turn derived from the book Nüshu Duben.
 i5 |
 na33 |
 tsha5 |
 ie21 |
 poe5 |
 swe33 |
 phiu44 |
 u5 |
 cya35 |
 tie42 |
 njie33 |
 toe33 |
 tchye5 |
 fwe13 |
 liu44 |
 siu35 |
 thu35 |
 njyu13 |
 vai42 |
 kai44 |
 khau21 |
 kou21 |
 tciou35 |
 liang35 |
 ciang13 |
 tsheng44 |
 song44 |
 ma5 |
 fa44 |
 la44 |
 thoe21 |
 tsoe42 |
 fwe44 |
 tswe35 |
 ti13 |
 ci21 |
 fu44 |
 fu35 |
 fu13 |
 tcyu35 |
 tcyu21 |
 fai44 |
 hau35 |
 lou35 |
 liou33 |
 tciou44 |
 ciou35 |
 tchyn21 |
 fang44 |
 vang42 |
 sang33 |
 khang21 |
 theng44 |
 neng44 |
 piong13 |
 iong42 |
 va33 |
 khua44 |
 tchya33 |
 nie33 |
 lie21 |
 tcie44 |
 tchie44 |
 njie44 |
 njie42 |
 ie44 |
 ie33 |
 mwe13 |
 vwe33 |
 vwe5 |
 twe33 |
 tswe44 |
 swe42 |
 swe13 |
 tci35 |
 ci35 |
 i5 |
 liu44 |
 njiu33 |
 ciu35 |
 mu13 |
 yu44 |
 tchy21 |
 njy33 |
 y42 |
 pai35 |
 pai35 |
 lai42 |
 ai42 |
 hau35 |
 tou42 |
 liou42 |
 iou13 |
 tsew35 |
 tsew21 |
 suow44 |
 huow42 |
 huow35 |
 nguw33 |
 mang42 |
 thang44 |
 kang44 |
 liang33 |
 tciang35 |
 njiang42 |
 peng44 |
 seng44 |
 piong42 |
 tshiong21 |
 tcing21 |
 pa5 |
 la33 |
 sie35 |
 tcie35 |
 ie21 |
 poe21 |
 loe42 |
 tsoe13 |
 soe5 |
 koe44 |
 khuoe21 |
 ye21 |
 pwe33 |
 pwe5 |
 tchi21 |
 tsiu33 |
 fu42 |
 vu42 |
 khu35 |
 hu5 |
 pw13 |
 fw42 |
 sw5 |
 kw5 |
 hw44 |
 mai42 |
 thai44 |
 sai44 |
 sai44 |
 thau35 |
 lau21 |
 lau21 |
 nou33 |
 kou33 |
 ciou44 |
 sew35 |
 lew44 |
 thuow21 |
 uow33 |
 kuw5 |
 tcyn42 |
 yn35 |
 vang33 |
 tsang44 |
 sang44 |
 khang35 |
 tciang44 |
 iang13 |
 teng42 |
 neng33 |
 piong33 |
 miong33 |
 ciong42 |
 ciong21 |
 njing42 |
 ng13 |
 tsa35 |
 sa21 |
 kua44 |
 kua35 |
 cya5 |
 cie44 |
 phoe35 |
 foe42 |
 loe35 |
 tshoe44 |
 tshoe21 |
 oe44 |
 tchye35 |
 fwe44 |
 tswe33 |
 ni33 |
 tshi5 |
 tshi5 |
 si44 |
 fu33 |
 ngu13 |
 tchyu21 |
 cyu44 |
 phw21 |
 fai42 |
 tsai13 |
 lou42 |
 tsou5 |
 piou44 |
 miou13 |
 tchiou21 |
 njiou33 |
 iou13 |
 nuow42 |
 kuow44 |
 huow21 |
 pang44 |
 ang21 |
 tsiang44 |
 tsiang42 |
 ciang42 |
 iang42 |
 liong42 |
 tshiong35 |
 ciong44 |
 cing35 |
 la13 |
 cya42 |
 poe42 |
 thoe44 |
 noe33 |
 tshoe44 |
 kue44 |
 kue35 |
 kue21 |
 ye42 |
 pwe35 |
 vwe35 |
 thi5 |
 tsi42 |
 tsi42 |
 tci21 |
 tci21 |
 tshiu21 |
 pu33 |
 tsu42 |
 ku21 |
 tcyu44 |
 njyu33 |
 tchy35 |
 pw5 |
 hw35 |
 phai35 |
 mai33 |
 lai35 |
 sai21 |
 hai42 |
 mau33 |
 tshau35 |
 hau33 |
 kou5 |
 ou44 |
 tsiou33 |
 tshiou44 |
 siou44 |
 tciou5 |
 ciou13 |
 thuow44 |
 fang13 |
 vang5 |
 lang44 |
 tshang44 |
 khang44 |
 khang5 |
 liang42 |
 siang44 |
 ciang44 |
 ciang35 |
 neng35 |
 leng42 |
 nong42 |
 long35 |
 liong13 |
 tsiong13 |
 siong44 |
 tcing44 |
 tcing44 |
 cing42 |
 ing21 |
 ng44 |
 va42 |
 sa35 |
 lie42 |
 tshie21 |
 sie5 |
 ie13 |
 moe13 |
 loe21 |
 tchye44 |
 cye44 |
 pi33 |
 ti44 |
 tci5 |
 tsiu44 |
 pu5 |
 fu21 |
 thu35 |
 hu42 |
 tcy13 |
 cy5 |
 pw42 |
 khw5 |
 lai44 |
 sai44 |
 sau35 |
 tsou42 |
 ngou42 |
 tsiou33 |
 njiou13 |
 ciou5 |
 iou42 |
 yn44 |
 tang42 |
 lang42 |
 kang35 |
 hang44 |
 hang42 |
 siang35 |
 tciang13 |
 iang44 |
 meng42 |
 tsiong42 |
 siong21 |
 tchiong44 |
 pa33 |
 tshie5 |
 sie5 |
 tsoe44 |
 koe35 |
 tcye44 |
 tcye42 |
 pwe35 |
 swe44 |
 ti42 |
 i42 |
 tciu42 |
 ciu44 |
 tsu35 |
 tshu35 |
 ku44 |
 lw5 |
 mai42 |
 kau44 |
 thou21 |
 hou33 |
 pang42 |
 fang44 |
 tang13 |
 lang33 |
 meng33 |
 teng42 |
 tseng42 |
 cing13 |
 ing42 |
 tsa33 |
 tsie21 |
 cie21 |
 moe42 |
 li35 |
 tsi5 |
 tci44 |
 i35 |
 mu33 |
 lu21 |
 hu42 |
 cyu33 |
 hw5 |
 tau13 |
 siou21 |
 lew33 |
 tshew5 |
 yn13 |
 tong13 |
 ie35 |
 voe5 |
 tswe21 |
 i21 |
 tu33 |
 lu35 |
 lou33 |
 tsou42 |
 tsuow44 |
 mang13 |
 tciang33 |
 tchiang21 |
 tciong44 |
 tsie33 |
 moe33 |
 ku44 |
 cyu35 |
 pw21 |
 tsiang42 |
 tshai44 |
 nguow13 |
 nong44 |
 fu5 |
 ku5 |
 fang33 |
 tcye21 |
 fi21 |
Script Subsets
In order to explore the structure of the script, I broke it down into subsets of characters with common initials, common finals, and common tones. Each initial, final, and tone, with the characters that have them in their pronunciation, is listed below.
Initials
Initial: ∅
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: n
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: tsh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: p
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: s
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: ph
|
|
|
|
Initial: c
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: t
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: nj
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: tch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: f
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: l
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: th
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: v
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: k
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: kh
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: tc
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: m
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: ts
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: h
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Initial: ng
|
|
|
|
Finals
Final: i
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: a
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: oe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: we
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: iu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: u
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ya
|
|
|
|
Final: ye
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: yu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ai
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: au
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ou
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: iou
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: iang
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: eng
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ong
|
|
|
|
|
Final: yn
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ang
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: iong
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ua
|
|
|
Final: y
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ew
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: uow
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: uw
|
|
Final: ing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: uoe
|
Final: w
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Final: ng
|
|
Final: ue
|
|
|
Tones
Tone: 5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 33
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 21
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 44
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 35
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 42
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tone: 13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
