answersLogoWhite

0

For most of the period of their use (around 3,000 years) there were less than a thousand signs in general use - only about 700 during the Middle Kingdom, when most texts were produced (and some of those 700 were quite rarely used).

In the Late Period the number of signs increased dramatically to over 6,000, many being alternative forms. The writing system was deliberately made complex and difficult under Greek and Roman rule - there were then at least 25 different signs with the sound value m, while a single sign could have up to 8 different readings.

So the answer to your question is: it depends on the specific time period.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?