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 |
M1 |
Tree |
Phono. im3. Det. nhwt, mnw “trees.” | |
M2 | Plant | Phono. ḥn. In ḥni “rush,” ḥnw “vessel.” Det. in is “tomb.” | |
M3 | Branch | Phono. ḫt. In ḫt “wood,” ḫtyw “terrace,” nḫt “strong.” | |
M4 | Stripped palm branch | Ideo. in rnpt “year,” ḥsbt “regnal year.” Det. in tr “time.” | |
M5 | Combination of M4 + X1 | Det. or Ideo. in tr “time, season.” | |
M6 | Combination of M4 + D21 | Det. or Ideo. in tr “time, season.” | |
M7 | Combination of M4 + Q3 | Det. or Ideo. in rnpi “young.” | |
M8 | Pool with lilies | Phono š3. In š3 “marsh.” Ideo. 3ḫt “Inundation” (season). | |
M9 | Lily | Det. or Ideo in sšn “lily.” | |
M10 | Lily bud | Det. in nḥbt “lily bud.” | |
M11 | Flower and stem | Det. or Ideo. in wdn “offer.” | |
M12 | Lily plant | Phono. ḫ3. In ḫ3w nw sšn “lily plants” ḫ3 “1,000,” sḫ3 “remember.” | |
M13 | Papyrus stem | Phono. w3ḏ, wḏ. | |
M14 | Combination of M13 and I10 | Phono. w3ḏ. In w3ḏ wr “the sea.” | |
M15 | Papyrus clump with downward facing buds. | Phono. 3ḫ. In 3ḫ-bit “Chemmis.” Det. of Papyrus. | |
M16 | Papyrus clump | Phono. ḥ3 . In ḥ3q “capture.” Det. in “The Delta.” |
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M17 | Reed leaf | Phono. i. Phono. y, when doubled. | |
M18 | Combination of M17 + D54 | Phono i. In ii “come.” | |
M19 | Conical cakes between signs M17 and U36 | Det. and Ideo. in ʿ3bt “offering.” | |
M20 | Reed field | Det. sḫt “marshland,” sm “occupation.” | |
M21 | Reed field with root | Det. in sm “plant,” “help.” | |
M22 | Rush with shoots | Phono. nḫb . Phono. nn, when doubled. In nḫbt “germination,” “Nehkbet.” | |
M23 | Sedge | Phono. sw. Ideo. nswt “king.” | |
M24 | Combination of M23 + D21 | Ideo. rsw “south.” | |
M25 | Combination of M26 + M24 | Use as M24. | |
M26 | Sedge | Phono. šmʿ. Ideo. šmʿw in “Upper Egypt.” | |
M27 | Combination of M26 + D36 | Phono. šmʿ. | |
M28 | Combination of M26 + V20 | Ideo. in title wr mḏw šmʿw “Greatest of the tens of Upper Egypt.” | |
M29 | Pod | Phono. nḏm. In nḏm “sweet. | |
M30 | Root | Det. or Ideo. bnr “sweet.” | |
M31 | Rhizome | Det. in rd “grow.” | |
M32 | Var of M31 | Use as M31 | |
M33 | Grain | Ideo. in it “barley, corn.” | |
M34 | Emmer sheaf | Det. or Ideo. in bti “emmer.” | |
M35 | Grain heap | Det. in ʿḥʿw “heaps.” | |
M36 | Flax bundle | Phono. ḏr. In ḏr “since,” nḏri “hold fast.” | |
M37 | Flax bundle with stems | Phono. ḏr. | |
M38 | Flax bundle | Det. in mḥʿ “flax,” dm3 “bind together.” | |
M39 | Basket of fruit or grain | Det. in rnpt “vegetables.” | |
M40 | Reed bundle | Phono is. In is “tomb,” iswt “crew.” | |
M41 | Wood log | Det. in ʿš “cedar.” | |
M42 | Flower | Phono. wn. In wnm “eat,” ḥwn “be young.” | |
M43 | Grape vines on props | Det. or Ideo. in irp “wine.” | |
M44 | Thorn | Det. spd “sharp.” |