Grafle

Script guide › Independent Scripts

Hebrew vs Maldivian (Thaana)

Hebrew and Maldivian (Thaana) sit in the same corner of the writing-system map — Grafle's Independent Scripts group — and players mix them up constantly. Here's the fastest way to tell them apart.

The tell

Both right-to-left — Hebrew is square and blocky; Thaana looks like slanted slashes with vowel marks on every letter.

Side by side

Hebrew

כל בני האדם נולדו בני חורין ושווים בערכם.

שלום, מה שלומך היום?

המים הם מקור החיים.

Hebrew's own tells

  • Right-to-left like Arabic, but square, blocky letters that stand apart instead of connecting.

On signs in:

  • Israel

Full guide to recognizing Hebrew →

Maldivian (Thaana)

ހުރިހާ އިންސާނުންނަކީވެސް މިނިވަންކަމާއެކު...

އައްސަލާމް ޢަލައިކުމް.

ދިވެހިރާއްޖެއަކީ ރީތި ޤައުމެކެވެ.

Maldivian (Thaana)'s own tells

  • Right-to-left slashes and hooks with vowel marks on every letter — looks like slanted tally marks.

On signs in:

  • Maldives

Full guide to recognizing Maldivian (Thaana) →

More lookalike pairs