The next version of the Unicode standard, 16.0, has been published. This release is a significant update that includes new characters, codes tables, additional data files, as well as updated applications and synchronized standards.
The update introduces 5185 new characters to the standard, with 3995 additional Egyptian hieroglyphs, seven new letters of writing, and seven new emojis. The total number of characters in the standard now reaches 154,998. The full list of new characters and writing systems can be found in the updated Unicode 16.0 table of codes. Additional information about new emojis can be found on the page “Emoji Recently Added, v16.0”.
This update particularly focuses on updates associated with the hieroglyphs of East Asia. New Japanese sources of data “Moji Jōhō Kiban” have been added to the codes tables for more than 36,000 unified CJK (China, Japan, Korea) hieroglyphs. These sources are reflected in the code tables of almost all blocks of unified CJK hieroglyphs through the addition of new representative glyphs.
In the new version of the standard, the basic specifications document is now available online with convenient navigation and links.
Unicode 16.0 also includes two new applications. The first, uax #53, describes the algorithm for processing Arabic combinations and their correct display. The second, uax #57, is devoted to the database of Egyptian UNIKEMEM, UnIKEMET, providing information for the accurate identification of Egyptian hieroglyphs and their properties.
For more information about the innovations in Unicode 16.0, visit