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Unified Han (Unihan) Character Database 
 
Not (Yet) in the Standard
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Guide to Unicode Tutorials
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Ordering the Book

About the Unicode Standard

The Unicode Standard is a character coding system designed to support the worldwide interchange, processing, and display of the written texts of the diverse languages and technical disciplines of the modern world. In addition, it supports classical and historical texts of many written languages.

Formally, a version of the Unicode Standard is defined by an edition of version of the book The Unicode Standard, together with the online Unicode Standard Annexes and the Unicode Character Database, which update and extend the book's normative specifications and informative content. The precise contents of each version are specified on Enumerated Versions of the Unicode Standard.

Unicode 5.1.0

The latest version of the Unicode Standard is Version 5.1.0. The documentation for Unicode 5.1.0 is located in:

http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode5.1.0/

Unicode 5.0.0

Unicode 5.0.0 is the most recent version of the standard published in book form. For a summary, see Unicode 5.0.0. It has been updated with the release of Version 5.1.0, a web-only publication. To order The Unicode Standard, Version 5.0 book, see the online order form.

Beta Review

Periodically, new revisions of the Unicode Character Database are available for beta review and public feedback. Consult the beta testing page to see if a beta version of the standard is available.

Maintenance

Note:
The entire content of the Unicode Standard, including the character code charts is available online. Each major version is also published in book form, with accompanying CD-ROM. The book can be obtained from libraries or technical bookstores, or ordered online.

The Unicode Standard is maintained by the Unicode Technical Committee. For up-to-the minute information, please see Updates and Errata. The lists of Proposed New Characters, and Proposed New Scripts give the latest information available on pending future extensions to the character repertoire of the Unicode Standard.

More Information

Where is my Character? offers suggestions on how to find a character encoded in the Standard. There is also a Unicode Glossary and a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). The Guide to Unicode Tutorials provides a summary of useful overviews and tutorials about the Unicode Standard. That is a good place to start for general information about how the standard works. There is also a short Technical Introduction. A number of Technical Reports provide additional specifications.