The following is a list of commonly used hieroglyphs as organized by Sir Alan H. Gardiner in his Egyptian Grammar. The signs are organized into 26 main categories followed by 3 sections that list hieroglyphs by their shape. Choose from any of the links below to guide yourself to a specific category.
Gardiner Number |
Hieroglyph |
Description of Glyph |
Details |
G1 | Vulture | Phono. 3. In 3 “vulture.’ | |
G2 | Two Vultures | Phono 33. In m33 “see.” | |
G3 | Combination of G1 + U1 | Phono. in m3. In sm3wy “renew.” | |
G4 | Buzzard | Phono. tyw. | |
G5 | Falcon | Ideo. ḥrw “Horus.” | |
G6 | Falcon with flail | De.t in bik “falcon.” | |
G7 | Falcon on standard | Det. imn “Amun,” nsw “king,” divine. 1st sing. pro. i, wi, with divine speaker. | |
G7a | Var of G7, Falcon in boat | Ideo. nmty “Nemty” | |
G7b | Var of G7, G7a | Use as G7a. | |
G8 | Combination of G5 + S12 | Ideo. Hr/bik nbw “Golden Horus/falcon.” | |
G9 | Falcon with sun disk | Ideo. in rʿ-ḥrw-3ḫty “Re-Horakhty.” | |
G10 | Falcon in sacred bark | Det. in skr “Sokar,” ḥnw “Sokar bark.” | |
G11 | Falcon image | Det. in ʿšm, ʿẖm, ʿḫm “divine image,” šnbt “breast.” | |
G12 | Falcon image with flail | Use as G11. | |
G13 | Falcon image with S9 | Ideo. ḥrw nḫny “Horus of Hierakonopolis.” Det. in spdw “Sopdu.” | |
G14 | Vulture | Phono. mwt, mt. In mwt “mother.” | |
G15 | Vulture with flail | Det. in mwt “Mut.” | |
G16 | Nehkbet and Edjo | Ideo. in nbty “Two Ladies” (title of Pharaoh) | |
G17 | Owl | Phono. m. | |
G18 | Two Owls | Phono. mm. | |
G19 | Combination of G17 + D37 | Phono. mi, m. | |
G20 | Combination of G17 + D36 | Use as G19. | |
G21 | Guinea fowl | Phono. nḥ. In nḥḥ “eternity.” | |
G22 | Hoopoe | Phono. ḏb/ḏbt. | |
G23 | Lapwing | Det. and Ideo. in rḫyt “commoners.” | |
G24 | Var. of G23 | Use as G23. | |
G25 | Crested Ibis | Phono. 3ḫ. In “spirit.” | |
G26 | Sacred ibis on standard | Det. in ḏḥwty “Thoth.” | |
G26a | Sacred ibis | Use as G26. | |
G27 | Flamingo | Phono. dšr. In dšr “red,” “flamingo.” | |
G28 | Black ibis | Phono. gm. In gmi “find.” | |
G29 | Jabiru | Phono. b3. In “soul.” | |
G30 | Three jabirus | Ideo. in b3w “spirits, strength.” | |
G31 | Heron | Det. in šnty “heron.” | |
G32 | Heron on perch | Det. or Ideo. in bʿḫi “inundated.” | |
G33 | Egret | Det. sd3 “tremble.” | |
G34 | Ostrich | Det. in niw “ostrich.” | |
G35 | Cormorant | Phono. ʿq. In ʿq “enter.” | |
G36 | Swallow | Phono. wr. In wr “great.” | |
G37 | Sparrow | Det. in nḏs “small,” bin “bad.” | |
G38 | Goose | Phono. gb. In gb “Geb.” Det. in wf3 “talk,” wsf “idle,” ḥtm “perish.” | |
G39 | Duck | Phono. s3. In s3 “son.” Det. in si “duck.” | |
G40 | Duck flying | Phono. p3. In p3 “the,” “fly.” | |
G41 | Duck landing | Phono. ḫn. In ḫni “alight, halt,” ḫn “speech,” qm3 “throw,” “create.” | |
G42 | Fattened bird | Det. and Ideo. in wš3 “fatten,” ḏf3w “provisions.” | |
G43 | Quail chick, var. Z7 | Phono. w. | |
G44 | Two quail chicks | Phono. ww. In pḥww “end.” | |
G45 | Combination of G43 + D36 | Phono wʿ.In wʿw “soldier.” | |
G46 | Combination of G43 + U1 | Phono. m3w. | |
G47 | Duckling | Phono. ṯ3. In ṯ3y “male.” | |
G48 | Three ducklings in nest | Ideo. in sš “nest.” | |
G49 | Ducks’ heads protruding from pool | Det. or Ideo. in sš “nest.” | |
G50 | Two plovers | Ideo. for rḫty “washerman.” | |
G51 | Bird pecking fish | Det. in ḥ3m “catch fish.” | |
G52 | Goose feeding | Det. in snm “feed.” | |
G53 | Human headed bird | Ideo. in b3 “soul.” | |
G54 | Plucked bird | Phono. snḏ. In snḏ “fear.” |