15 metas (location clues) in Languages of South Asia: tag names, country, example imagery, and a short explanation for each.
@GeoCoach Egor845 plays15 metas
Exam Score
BengaliAssameseManipuriMizoPunjabiHindiGujaratiMarathiMalayalamTeluguKannadaOdia (Oriya)Tamil
Sinhala script
Dzongkha (Bhutanese)How it looks
Where to find it
India · BangladeshExplanation
Name: Bengali
Script: Bengali-Assamese script (Eastern Nagari)
Description: Flowing, curved script with a horizontal top line (matra). Words are usually connected across the top, but the line may appear lighter or less rigid than in Devanagari
Unique symbols: ক (vs ৰ Assamese), ড, ঙ, র (vs ৱ Assamese)
Bengali is widely spoken in the Indian state of West Bengal and in Bangladesh.
Nearly identical to Assamese script but:
ৰ and ৱ:AssameseBengali
India (IN), Bangladesh (BD)
Name: Bengali
Script: Bengali-Assamese script (Eastern Nagari)
Description: Flowing, curved script with a horizontal top line (matra). Words are usually connected across the top, but the line may appear lighter or less rigid than in Devanagari
Unique symbols: ক (vs ৰ Assamese), ড, ঙ, র (vs ৱ Assamese)
Bengali is widely spoken in the Indian state of West Bengal and in Bangladesh.
Nearly identical to Assamese script but:
ৰ and ৱ:AssameseBengali
India (IN)
Name: Assamese
Script: Assamese script (variant of Bengali-Assamese/Eastern Nagari)
Description: Nearly identical to Bengali script. Rounded, flowing appearance with curved letters. Visually indistinguishable to non-speakers.
Unique symbols:
Same as Bengali, with two additions:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Name: Manipuri (Meitei)
Script: Meitei Mayek script
Description: An ancient script native to Manipur, with distinctive rounded characters and a unique structural system. The letters have a compact and balanced appearance, often featuring curves, loops, and hooks. The script was revived in the 20th century.
Unique symbols:
India (IN)
Name: Mizo
Script: Latin
Description:
Mizo uses the standard Latin alphabet introduced by Christian missionaries in the late 19th century.
Unique features:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Script: Gurmukhi script
Description: Angular and geometric with horizontal and vertical lines. Letters are relatively simple and blocky. Headline and letters are connected along the top
Common:
Unique symbols:
Extensive use of diacritical marks: tippi (ਂ), bindi (ੰ), addak (ੱ)
Punjabi is primarily spoken in the Indian state of Punjab.
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Name: Hindi
Script: Devanagari
Description: Clean, geometric script with a distinctive horizontal line (shirorekha) running along the top of letters. Characters hang from this top line. Letters are relatively uniform in height and often have rounded curves. Official language of India (alongside English)
Unique symbols:
India (IN)
Name: Gujarati
Script: Gujarati script
Description: Looks very similar to Devanagari but without the horizontal headline (shirorekha). It is slightly more angular than Hindi in some characters.
Unique symbols:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Name: Marathi
Script: Devanagari script
Description: Identical to Hindi's Devanagari script with the continuous horizontal line on top. Visually indistinguishable from Hindi in appearance.
Unique symbols:
Uses all Hindi symbols, plus:
Marathi is spoken primarily in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Otherwise identical to Hindi
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Name: Malayalam
Script: Malayalam script
Description: Curvy and flowing with many loops and circular elements. Letters often have distinctive "tails" and connecting elements.
Unique symbols:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Script: Telugu script
Description: Very rounded, bubbly appearance with circular and curved elements. Letters look like a collection of circles, loops, and curves. Vowel signs create small tick or checkmark like strokes above the letter.
Unique Symbols:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Memory hook: Kannada often has distinctive leftward curls in the upper part of letters.
Name: Kannada
Script: Kannada script
Description: Circular and curvy like Telugu, but includes more straight lines and angular elements mixed in. More "balanced" between curves and angles than Telugu's pure roundness.
Unique symbols:
Kannada is the official language of the Indian state of Karnataka.
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Memory hook: The shape of the characters in Odia strongly resembles the skull emoji
Name: Odia (Oriya)
Script: Odia script
Description: Very rounded and curved, similar to Telugu. Letters have a circular "head" with many characters featuring loops. Softer appearance than Bengali.
Unique symbols:
Odia is the official language of the Indian state of Odisha.
Similar scripts & distinctions:
India (IN)
Name: Tamil
Script: Tamil script
Description: Rounded and flowing with many curves. Letters look smooth and circular. It does not have the horizontal top line like Devanagari. It is generally less complex than Telugu or Kannada and has fewer loops. The pulli dot is very visually noticeable and frequent: (்), க்
Unique symbols:
Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India.
Similar scripts & distinctions:
Telugu → more loops and circles. Small tick or checkmark instead of pulli
Kannada → visually similar in roundness. No pulli dot
Devanagari → Tamil has no horizontal top line
Sri Lanka (LK)
Name: Sinhala
Script: Sinhala script
Description: Very rounded and circular with soft flowing curves. Many letters look like spirals or loops, giving the script a “bubble-like” appearance. Sinhala has distinct inner curls and decorative loops, making it visually more ornamental than Tamil or Kannada
Unique symbols:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
Tamil → also rounded, but Sinhala is more decorative with inner curls and spiral shapes
Telugu → both very circular. Sinhala letters are denser and more spiral-like
Kannada → similar round base shapes; Sinhala has more ornamental loops and unique curl endings
Bhutan (BT)
Name: Dzongkha (Bhutanese)
Script: Tibetan script (Uchen style)
Dzongkha is the sole official language. English is also widely used in schools and government
Description: Angular and structured with clear horizontal headline across the top of letters (similar to Devanagari but straighter and more rigid). The printed Uchen style formal and geometric, while handwritten forms can be more flowing.
Unique symbols:
Similar scripts & distinctions:
vs Devanagari: both have a top line, but Tibetan letters are more square and often stacked vertically
vs Bengali / Assamese: Bengali has a headline but letters are softer and more curved; Tibetan is sharper and more block-like
Languages of South Asia covers 15 metas in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan. Every one of them shows up in practice until you can place it from memory.
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