Zero-width non-joiner

The zero-width non-joiner (ZWNJ) is a non-printing character used in the computerized typesetting of some cursive scripts, or other scripts which make use of ligatures, such as Devanagari. When placed between two characters that would otherwise be connected, a ZWNJ causes them to be printed in their final and initial forms, respectively. This is also an effect of a space character, but a ZWNJ is used when it is desirable to keep the words closer together. The ZWNJ is represented in Unicode is U+200C, and can be represented in HTML as ‌, ‌ or ‌.

Since recently ZWNJ is being used also in Hebrew scripts, especially to differentiate between the vowel holam male, and the constant-vowel combination vav+holam haser, with the latter being written as vav, ZWNJ, holam haser.

In fonts for Devanagari, such as Mangal, insertion of a ZWNJ after a consonant with a halant or before a dependent vowel will prevent the characters from being joined properly. For example, the characters क् and ष typically combine to form क्ष, but when a ZWNJ is inserted between them, क्‌ष is seen instead.

The ZWNJ is also used in Latin OpenType fonts, which would otherwise automatically create a ligature (e.g. fi). When a ZWNJ is used, no ligature is created.

With the Hebrew example, the placement of the dot to the left of the ו is correct for the translation. The placement of the dot over the ו makes it visually confusing with לַעֲנוֹת , to answer.

See also

• Zero-width joiner
• Zero-width space
• Word divider

External links

• Using the ZWNJ in Persian

This typography-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e