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{{Short description|Eleventh letter of many Semitic alphabets}}
{{Speculation|date=May 2025}}{{Infobox Semitic letter
|letname       = Kaph
|previouslink  = Yodh
|previousletter= Yodh
|nextlink      = Lamedh
|nextletter    = Lamedh
|archar        = ك
|sychar        = ܟ
|hechar        = כ
|amchar        = 𐡊
|gechar        = ከ
|phchar        = 𐤊
|grchar        = [[Κ]]
|lachar        = [[K]]
|cychar        = [[К]]
|ipa           = [[k (IPA)|k]] ([[x (IPA)|x]])
|num = 11
|gem = 20
}}
{{Contains special characters|Ugaritic}}
'''Kaph''' (also spelled '''kaf''') is the eleventh [[Letter (alphabet)|letter]] of the [[Semitic abjads]], including [[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]] ''kāp'' 𐤊, [[Hebrew alphabet|Hebrew]] ''kāp̄'' {{Script|Hebr|כ}}, [[Aramaic alphabet|Aramaic]] ''kāp'' 𐡊, [[Syriac alphabet|Syriac]] ''kāp̄'' ܟ, and [[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]] ''kāf'' {{Script|Arabic|ك}} (in [[abjadi order]]). It is also related to the [[Ancient North Arabian]] 𐪋‎, [[Ancient South Arabian script|South Arabian]] {{lang|sem-x-oldsoara|𐩫}}, and [[Geʽez script|Ge'ez]] {{lang|gez|ከ}}.

The Phoenician letter gave rise to the [[Greek alphabet|Greek]] [[Kappa (letter)|kappa]] (Κ), [[Latin alphabet|Latin]] [[K]], and [[Cyrillic script|Cyrillic]] [[Ka (Cyrillic)|К]].

==Origin==
Kaph is thought to be derived from a pictogram of a hand (in both modern [[Arabic]] and [[Hebrew language|modern Hebrew]], '''kaph''' {{lang|he|rtl=yes|כף}} means "palm" or "grip"), though in Arabic the ''a'' in the name of the letter (كاف) is pronounced longer than the ''a'' in the word meaning "palm" (كَف). The small ک above the [[ك|''kāf'']] in its final and isolated forms {{angle bracket|{{lang|ar|ك&nbsp;&nbsp;ـك}}}} was originally ''‘alāmatu-l-ihmāl'', but became a permanent part of the letter. Previously this sign could also appear above the medial form of ''kāf'', instead of the stroke on its [[ascender (typography)|ascender]].
<hiero>D46</hiero>

==Arabic kāf==
{{See also|khē|ng (Arabic letter)|gaf}}
{{Infobox grapheme
| name = Kāf كاف
| letter = ك
| script = [[Arabic script]]
| type = [[Abjad]]
| language = [[Arabic language]]
| phonemes = {{IPA link|k}}
| alphanumber = 22
| number = 
| fam2 = 𐡊
| fam3 = 𐢎‎, 𐢏‎
| direction = Right-to-left
| fam1 = 𐤊‎
}}

The letter is named ''kāf'', and it is written in several ways depending on its position in the word.

There are four variants of the letter:
* The basic form is used for the Arabic language and many other languages and is the [[Naskh (script)|Naskh]] glyph form.
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ك}}
* The cross-barred form, {{Transliteration|ar|al-kāf al-mashkūlah}} or {{Transliteration|ar|al-kāf al-mashqūqah}},<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gacek |first1=Adam |title=The Arabic manuscript tradition: a glossary of technical terms and bibliography: supplement |date=2008 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=978-9004165403 |page=43 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfZYCcOL8dYC&pg=PA43 }}</ref> is the [[Nastaliq]] form used predominantly in the [[Persian alphabet|Perso-Arabic script]] and as an alternative form of the version above in all forms of Arabic. It has a particular use in the [[Sindhi language]] of Pakistan where it represents the [[aspiration (phonetics)|aspirated]] /kʰ/ and is called ''[[keheh]]''.
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ک}}
* The long s-shaped variant form, {{Transliteration|ar|al-kāf al-mabsūṭah}},<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gacek |first1=Adam |title=The Arabic manuscript tradition: a glossary of technical terms and bibliography: supplement |date=2008 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=978-9004165403 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfZYCcOL8dYC&pg=PA8 }}</ref> which is used in Arabic texts and in [[Thuluth]] and [[Kufic]]. It is a separate letter in the [[Sindhi language]] of Pakistan, where it represents the unaspirated /k/.
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڪ}}
* The variant of letter ''khe'' in Persian, and in [[Tausug language|Tausug]] with a line above named [[gaf]] is used, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|گ}}

Other than the four variants of the letter ''kāf'' as mentioned below, there are also five other variants of the Persian letter ''gaf'', namely,
* the letter ''khe'' with one dot above is used in the [[Jawi alphabet]], and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ݢ‎}}
* the letter ''kāf'' with three dots below is used in the [[Pegon alphabet]], using a modified basic form of ''kāf'', and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڮ‎}}
* the letter ''kāf'' with one dot below is also used in the Pegon alphabet for writing [[Javanese language|Javanese]] and [[Sundanese language|Sundanese]] in Arabic script, but is also used in the [[Arwi alphabet]] for the [[Tamil language]] to represent {{IPAslink|ɡ}}, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ࢴ}}
* the letter ''khe'' with a ring is used in [[Pashto]], and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ګ}}
* in [[Chechen language|Chechen]], [[Kabardian language|Kabardian]], and [[Adyghe language|Adyghe]], the Arabic character {{script/Arabic|ࢰ}} is used to spell {{IPAslink|kʼ}} or {{IPAslink|t͡ʃʼ}}. In Chechen, ⟨{{script/Arabic|گ}}⟩ is alternatively used as well.
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ࢰ}}

In [[Ottoman Turkish]], [[Chagatai language|Chagatai]], [[Kazakh language|Kazakh]], [[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]], [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]], [[Uyghur language|Uyghur]], [[Moroccan Arabic]], [[Xiao'erjing]] script, the Arabic letter ''ng'' has two forms, namely:
* the letter ''khe'' with three dots above is used, and thus it is written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ݣ}}
* the basic form of the letter ''kāf'' with three dots is used, and thus it is written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڭ}}

There is also one another variant of the letter ''ng'', which is the letter ''khe'' with three dots below, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ݤ}}

In the [[Sindhi alphabet]], the letter ''[[gaf]]'' with two dots above is used, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڱ‎‎}}

There is also letter ''[[gueh]]'' in the Sindhi alphabet. ''Gueh'' is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڳ}}

Before 1928, the Nogai alphabet was written in Arabic script. There is one such letter based on a basic form of ''kāf'' with three dots below, and it is thus written as:
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ڮ}}

In [[varieties of Arabic]] ''kāf'' is almost universally pronounced as the [[voiceless velar plosive]] {{IPA|/k/}}, but in [[Palestinian Arabic|rural Palestinian]] and [[Iraqi Arabic|Iraqi]], it is pronounced as a [[voiceless postalveolar affricate]] {{IPA|[t͡ʃ]}}.

===As an affix===

==== Prefix ====
In Arabic, ''kāf'', when used as a prefix  {{lang|ar|كَـ}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|ka}}'', functions as a comparative [[Arabic grammar#Prepositions|preposition]] ({{Lang|ar|أداة التشبيه}}, such as {{lang|ar|مِثْل}} {{IPA|/miθl/}} or {{lang|ar|شَبَه}} {{IPA|/ʃabah/}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=الهاشمي |first=أحمد |url=https://www.hindawi.org/books/85925824/2.1/ |title=جواهر البلاغة: في المعاني والبيان والبديع |year=1905 |language=ar |chapter=علم البيان: في التشبيه |access-date=2023-06-08 |archive-date=2023-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117172926/https://www.hindawi.org/books/85925824/2.1/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and can carry the meaning of English words ''"like"'', ''"as"'', or ''"as though"'' . For example, {{lang|ar|كَطَائِر}} ({{IPA|/katˤaːʔir/}}), means "like a bird" or "as though a bird" (as in Hebrew, above) and attached to {{lang|ar|ذٰلِك}} {{IPA|/ðaːlik/}} "this, that" forms the fixed expression {{lang|ar|كَذٰلِك}} {{IPA|/kaðaːlik/}} "like so, likewise."

==== Possessive suffix ====
When adjoined at the end of a word, ''kāf'' is used as a [[possessive]] suffix for second-person singular nouns (feminine taking ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kāf-kasrah}}'' {{lang|ar|كِ}}, {{IPA|/ki/}} and masculine ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kāf-fatḥah}}'' {{lang|ar|كَ}} {{IPA|/ka/}}); for instance, {{lang|ar|كِتَاب}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitāb}}'' ("book") becomes {{lang|ar|كِتَابُكَ}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitābuka}}'' ("your book", where the person spoken to is masculine) {{lang|ar|كِتَابُكِ}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitābuki}}'' ("your book", where the person spoken to is feminine). At the ends of sentences and often in conversation the final vowel is suppressed, and thus {{lang|ar|كِتَابُك}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitābuk}}'' ("your book"). In several varieties of vernacular Arabic, however, the ''kāf'' with no [[harakat]] is the standard second-person possessive, with the literary Arabic harakah shifted to the letter ''before'' the ''kāf'': thus masculine "your book" in these varieties is {{lang|ar|كِتَابَك}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitābak}}'' and feminine "your book" {{lang|ar|كِتَابِك}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|DIN|kitābik}}''.

==Hebrew kaf==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=5|<small>[[Orthography|Orthographic]] variants</small>
|-
!colspan=3|<small>Various print fonts</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Cursive Hebrew|Cursive<br>Hebrew]]</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Rashi script|Rashi<br>script]]</small>
|-
!|<small>Serif</small> !! <small>[[Sans-serif]]</small> !! <small>[[Monospaced]]</small>
|-
|width=20%|<span style="font:30pt 'Times New Roman', 'SBL Hebrew', David, Narkisim, 'New Peninim MT', 'Taamey Frank CLM', serif;">כ</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:28pt Arial, 'DejaVu Sans Condensed', 'DejaVu Sans', Tahoma, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', Alef, sans-serif;">כ</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:30pt 'Courier New', 'Miriam Fixed', 'Miriam Mono CLM', FreeMono, monospace;">כ</span>
|width=20%|[[File:Hebrew letter Kaf handwriting.svg|24px]]
|width=20%|[[File:Kaf-nonfinal (Rashi-script - Hebrew letter).svg|35px]]
|}

Hebrew spelling: <big>{{Script/Hebrew|כַּף}}</big>

===Hebrew pronunciation===
{{main|Modern Hebrew phonology}}
The letter kaf is one of the six letters that can receive a [[dagesh]] kal. The other five are [[Beth (letter)|bet]], [[Gimel (letter)|gimel]], [[daleth]], [[Pe (Semitic letter)|pe]], and [[Taw (letter)|tav]] (see [[Hebrew alphabet#Ancient Hebrew|Hebrew alphabet]] for more about these letters).

There are two orthographic variants of this letter that alter the pronunciation:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!! colspan=1 | Name
!! colspan=1 | Symbol
!! colspan=1 | [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!! colspan=1 | [[Transliteration]]<ref>[https://jart.biu.ac.il/files/jart/forms/transliteration_rules_heb.pdf Transliteration Rules] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801171850/https://jart.biu.ac.il/files/jart/forms/transliteration_rules_heb.pdf |date=2019-08-01 }}, ''[[Encyclopedia Judaica]]''.</ref>
!! colspan=1 | Example
|-
| Kaf
| align=center | {{Script/Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">כּ</span>}}  
| align="center" | {{IPA|[k]}}
| align="center" | k
| align="center" | '''k'''angaroo
|-
| Khaf
| align=center | {{Script/Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%;">כ</span>}}  
| align="center" | {{IPAblink|χ}} or {{IPAblink|x}}
| align="center" | ḵ, ch, or kh
| align="center" | lo'''ch'''
|-
|}

====Kaf with the dagesh====
When the kaph has a "dot" in its center, known as a [[dagesh]], it represents a [[voiceless velar plosive]] ({{IPA|/k/}}). There are various rules in [[Hebrew grammar]] that stipulate when and why a dagesh is used.

====Kaf without the dagesh (khaf)====
When this letter appears as {{Script/Hebrew|כ}} ''without'' the [[dagesh]] ("dot") in its center it represents {{IPAblink|χ}}, like the ''ch'' in German "Bach", or {{IPAblink|x}}, like ''ch'' in Scottish English "[[loch]]".

In [[Hebrew language|modern Israeli Hebrew]] the letter [[Heth (letter)|heth]] is often pronounced the same way. However, [[Mizrahi Jews]] and [[Arab citizens of Israel|Palestinian Arabs living in Israel]] have differentiated between these letters as in other Semitic languages.

====Final form of kaf====
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
!colspan=5|<small>[[Orthography|Orthographic]] variants</small>
|-
!colspan=3|<small>Various Print Fonts</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Cursive Hebrew|Cursive<br/>Hebrew]]</small>
!rowspan=2|<small>[[Rashi Script|Rashi<br/>script]]</small>
|-
!|<small>[[Serif]]</small> !! <small>[[Sans-serif]]</small> !! <small>[[Monospace]]d</small>
|-
|width=20%|<span style="font:30pt 'Times New Roman', 'SBL Hebrew', David, Narkisim, 'Taamey Frank CLM', serif;">ך</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:28pt Arial, 'DejaVu Sans Condensed', 'DejaVu Sans', Tahoma, Alef, sans-serif;">ך</span>
|width=20%|<span style="font:30pt 'Courier New', 'Miriam Fixed', FreeMono, monospace;">ך</span>
|width=20%|[[File:Hebrew letter Kaf-final handwriting.svg|21px]]
|width=20%|[[File:Kaf-final (Rashi-script - Hebrew letter).svg|35px]]
|}
If the letter is at the end of a word the symbol is drawn differently.  However, it does not change the pronunciation or [[transliteration]] in any way.   The name for the letter is ''final kaf'' ({{lang|he-Latn|kaf sofit}}). Four additional Hebrew letters take final forms: [[mem]], [[nun (letter)|nun]], [[Pe (Semitic letter)|pei]] and [[tsade|tsadi]]. Kaf/khaf is the only Hebrew letter that can take a vowel in its word-final form, which is pronounced after the consonant, that vowel being the [[qamatz]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!! colspan=1 | Name
!! colspan=1 | Alternate name
!! colspan=1 | Symbol
|-
| Final kaf
| Kaf sofit
| align=center | {{Script/Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%; line-height:normal">ךּ</span>}}  
|-
| Final khaf
| Khaf sofit
| align=center | {{Script/Hebrew|1=<span style="font-size:200%; line-height:normal">ך</span>}}  
|-
|}

===Significance of kaph in Hebrew===
In [[gematria]], kaph represents the number 20. Its final form represents 500, but this is rarely used, [[Tau (letter)|tav]] and [[qoph]] (400+100) being used instead.

As a [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]], kaph is a [[preposition]]:
*It can mean "like" or "as", as in literary Arabic (see above).
*In colloquial Hebrew, kaph and [[Shin (letter)|shin]] together have the meaning of "when". This is a contraction of {{Script/Hebrew|כַּאֲשֶׁר}}, ''ka'asher'' (when).

==Syriac kap==
{{Arabic alphabet shapes|ܟ‎}}

==Character encodings==

{{charmap
|05db|name1=Hebrew Letter Kaf
|FB3B|name2=Hebrew Letter Kaf with Dagesh
|05DA|name3=Hebrew Letter Final Kaf
|FB3A|name4=Hebrew Letter Final Kaf with Dagesh
}}
{{charmap
|0643|name1=Arabic Letter Kaf
|FEDB|name2=Arabic Letter Kaf Initial Form
|FEDC|name3=Arabic Letter Kaf Medial Form
|FEDA|name4=Arabic Letter Kaf Final Form
}}
{{charmap
|1090A|name1=Phoenician Letter Kaf
|1084A|name2=Imperial Aramaic Letter Kaph
|071F|name3=Syriac Letter Kaph
}}

== See also ==<!-- PLEASE RESPECT ALPHABETICAL ORDER -->
* [[Ca (Indic)]]
* [[Gaf]]
* [[Gueh]]
* [[Ka (Indic)]]
* [[Ngaph]]

==References==
{{commons category|Kaph (letter)}}
{{reflist}}{{Arabic language}}{{Hebrew language}}
{{Northwest Semitic abjad}}

[[Category:Phoenician alphabet]]
[[Category:Arabic letters]]
[[Category:Hebrew letters]]
[[Category:Letters with final form]]