written.institute
௦௧௨௩௪௫௬௭௮௯

Tamil numerals

A place-value system in base 10, with a zero.

StructurePositional — a digit's value depends on the column it sits in
Base10
ZeroYes — a true zero, holding an empty place
RegionTamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia
Datestraditional additive forms from c. 8th c.; modern positional digits current
UnicodeU+0BE6–U+0BEF; traditional signs U+0BF0–U+0BF2
Status living

Curatorial note

Two systems in one block. The modern digits are positional with zero like every other Indic set, but Unicode also encodes the traditional signs for ten, hundred and thousand (௰ ௱ ௲) that belong to an older additive way of writing numbers. The standard carries both because the record does.

Specimen

The digits, at size
56 ௦௧௨௩௪௫௬௭௮௯
40 ௦௧௨௩௪௫௬௭௮௯
26 ௦௧௨௩௪௫௬௭௮௯
17 ௦௧௨௩௪௫௬௭௮௯

Where this sits

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