U+1B40 "ᭀ" Balinese Vowel Sign Taling Tedung Unicode Character

U+1B40 "ᭀ" Balinese Vowel Sign Taling Tedung is a combining diacritical mark used in the Balinese script to modify a consonant’s inherent vowel sound, specifically indicating a long or extended “e” or “ai” vowel, often pronounced as a nasalized or tense variant depending on the word and context. It is applied as an overlaid ring-shaped sign above the base consonant character, and its name combines “taling” meaning a long vowel or sound extension with “tedung” referring to its distinctive curled or hooked form. This vowel sign is an essential component of the Balinese writing system, used for writing the Balinese language in traditional texts, religious manuscripts, and modern signage on the island of Bali.