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| {{About|the letter of the alphabet}}
| | 37 years old Electronics Engineer Quincy Jo from Annaheim, has hobbies for instance embroidery, 10 hatha yoga positions and creating dollhouses. Likes to visit new places like Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad. |
| {{Distinguish|×}}
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| {{pp-move-indef|small=yes}}
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| {{Latin letter info|x}}
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| '''X''' ([[English alphabet#Letter names|named]] ''ex'' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|k|s}}, plural ''exes''<ref>"X", ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 2nd edition (1989); ''Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged'' (1993); "ex", ''op. cit''.</ref>) is the twenty-fourth [[Letter (alphabet)|letter]] in the [[ISO basic Latin alphabet]]. In [[Roman numerals]], it represents [[10 (number)|10]].
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| ==History==
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| In [[Ancient Greek]], 'Χ' and 'Ψ' were among several variants of the same letter, used originally for {{IPA|/kʰ/}} and later, in western areas such as [[Arcadia]], as a simplification of the [[digraph (orthography)|digraph]] 'ΧΣ' for {{IPA|/ks/}}. In the end, more conservative eastern forms became the standard of [[Classical Greek]], and thus 'Χ' ''([[Chi (letter)|Chi]])'' stands for {{IPA|/kʰ/}} (later {{IPA|/x/}}). However, the [[Etruscans]] had taken over 'Χ' from western Greek, and it therefore stands for {{IPA|/ks/}} in Etruscan and [[Latin]].{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}
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| The letter 'Χ' ~ 'Ψ' for {{IPA|/kʰ/}} was a Greek addition to the alphabet, placed after the Semitic letters along with ''[[Phi (letter)|phi]]'' 'Φ' for {{IPA|/pʰ/}}. (The variant 'Ψ' later replaced the digraph 'ΦΣ' for {{IPA|/ps/}}; ''[[omega]]'' was a later addition).{{citation needed|date=July 2013}}.
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| {| class="wikitable" cellpadding=4
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| |- bgcolor="#E"
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| ! Greek [[Chi (letter)|Chi]]
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| ! Etruscan<br> :X
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| |--- align=center <!-- Palatino Linotype X-->
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| | [[Image:Chi uc lc.svg|45px]]
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| | [[Image:EtruscanX-01.svg|25px]]
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| |}
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| ==Use in English==
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| In [[English orthography]], x typically represents the voiceless consonant cluster {{IPAc-en|k|s}} when it follows the stressed vowel, and the voiced consonant {{IPAc-en|ɡ|z}} when it precedes the stressed vowel (e.g. 'exam'), or when it precedes a silent 'h' and an accented vowel ('exhaust').<ref name="Venezky1970">{{cite book|author=Richard L. Venezky|title=The Structure of English Orthography|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Mrt_G_RrJykC&pg=PA5|date=1 January 1970|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=978-3-11-080447-8|pages=40}}</ref> As the first letter of a word, it usually represents {{IPAc-en|z}} (e.g. 'xylophone', 'xenon'), and in compounds keeps the {{IPAc-en|z}} sound, as in (e.g. 'meta-xylene'). Before 'i' or 'u' it can also represent the sounds {{IPAc-en|k|ʃ}} or {{IPAc-en|ɡ|ʒ}} for example, in the words 'sexual' and 'luxury', respectively: these result from earlier {{IPAc-en|k|s|j}} and {{IPAc-en|g|z|j}}. It also makes the sound {{IPAc-en|k|ʃ}} in words ending in -xion (typically used only in [[American and British English spelling differences#-xion, -ction|British-based spellings]] of the language; American spellings tend to use -ction). Word-final 'x' is always {{IPAc-en|k|s}} (e.g. 'ax'/'axe') except in loan words such as 'faux' (see French, below).<br/>
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| In abbreviations, it can represent "trans-" (e.g. XMIT for transmit, XFER for transfer), "cross-" (e.g. X-ing for crossing; XREF for [[cross-reference]]), "Christ" as shorthand for the [[labarum]] (e.g. Xmas for Christmas; Xian for Christian), the "Crys" in Crystal (XTAL), or various words starting with "ex" (e.g. XL for extra large; XOR for [[Exclusive disjunction|exclusive-or]]).<br/>
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| There are very few English words that start with X – the least amount of any letter. Many of the words that do start with X are either standardized trademarks ([[Xerox]]) or acronyms (XC). No words in the [[Basic English]] vocabulary begin with 'X', but it occurs in words beginning with other letters.
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| X is the third least common letter in English, with a frequency of about 0.15% in words. It is, however, more frequent than [[Q]] and [[Z]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Mička|first=Pavel|title=Letter frequency (English)|url=http://en.algoritmy.net/article/40379/Letter-frequency-English|publisher=Algoritmy.net}}</ref>
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| ==Use in other languages==
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| In the [[International Phonetic Alphabet]], {{IPA|[x]}} represents a [[voiceless velar fricative]].
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| In Latin, 'x' stood for {{IPA|[ks]}}. In some languages, as a result of assorted phonetic changes, handwriting adaptations or simply spelling convention, 'x' has other pronunciations:
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| *{{lang-eu|as a spelling for }}{{IPA|[ʃ]}}. Additionally there is the digraph 'tx' {{IPA|[tʃ]}}.
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| *{{lang-nl|X}} usually represents {{IPA|[ks]}}, except in the name of the island of [[Texel]], which is pronounced ''Tessel''. This is because of [[Dutch_language#Historical_sound_changes|historical sound-changes in Dutch]], where all -x- sounds have been replaced with -s- sounds. Words with an ''-x-'' in the Dutch language are nowadays usually [[loanword]]s.
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| *In [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]], 'x' is generally pronounced {{IPA|[ks]}}, but since the nineteenth century, there has been a tendency to spell it out as 'ks' whenever possible; it may still be retained in names of people, though it is fairly rare, and occurs mostly in foreign words and [[SMS language]]. Usage in [[Danish language|Danish]], [[German language|German]] and [[Finnish language|Finnish]] is similar.
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| *{{lang-fr|at the ends of words}}, silent (or {{IPA|[z]}} in [[Liaison (French)|liaison]] if the next word starts with a vowel). This usage arose as a handwriting alteration of final '-us'.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}} Three exceptions are pronounced {{IPA|[s]}}: ''six'' ("''six''"), ''dix'' ("''ten''") and ''[[Brussels|Bruxelles]]''. It is pronounced {{IPA|[z]}} in ''sixième'' and ''dixième''.
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| *In [[Italian language|Italian]], 'x' is either pronounced {{IPA|[ks]}}, as in ''extra'', ''uxorio'', ''xilofono'',<ref>http://www.dizionario.rai.it Dizionario di ortografia e pronunzia</ref> or {{IPA|[ɡz]}}, as ''exogamia'', when it is preceded by 'e' and followed by a vowel. In several related languages, notably Venetian, it represents the voiced sibilant {{IPA|[z]}}. It is also used, mainly amongst the young, as a short written form for "per", meaning "for": for example, "x sempre" ("forever"). This because in Italian the [[×|multiplication sign]] (similar to 'x') is called "per". However, 'x' is only found in [[loanword]]s, as it is not part of the standard [[Italian alphabet]]; in most words with 'x', this letter may be replaced with 's' or 'ss' (with different pronunciation: ''xilofono/silofono'', ''taxi/tassì'') or, rarely, by 'cs' (with the same pronunciation: ''claxon/clacson'').
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| *{{lang-es|In Old Spanish}}, 'x' was pronounced {{IPA|[ʃ]}}, as it is still currently in other [[Iberian Romance languages]]. Later, the sound evolved to a hard {{IPA|[x]}} sound. In modern Spanish, the {{IPA|[x]}} sound is generally spelled with the letters 'j' or 'g', though 'x' is still retained for some names (notably 'México', which alternates with 'Méjico'). Presently, 'x' represents the sound {{IPA|[s]}} (word-initially), or the consonant cluster {{IPA|[ks]}} (e.g. ''oxígeno, examen''). Rarely, the 'x' can be pronounced {{IPA|[ʃ]}} as in Old Spanish in some proper nouns such as 'Raxel' (a variant of [[Rachel]]) and ''[[Uxmal]]''.
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| *In [[Galician language|Galician]] (a language related to Portuguese and spoken in Northwestern Spain), and [[Leonese language|Leonese]], used in Spain, 'x' is pronounced {{IPA|[ʃ]}} in most cases. In learned words, such as 'taxativo' (taxing), the 'x' is pronounced {{IPA|[ks]}}. However, Galician speakers tend to pronounce it {{IPA|[s]}}, especially when it appears before plosives, such as in 'externo' (external).
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| *In [[Catalan language|Catalan]], 'x' has three sounds; the most common is {{IPA|[ʃ]}}; as in 'xarop' (syrup). Other sounds are: {{IPA|[ks]}}; 'fixar' (to fix), {{IPA|[ɡz]}}; 'examen'. In addition {{IPA|[ʃ]}} gets voiced to {{IPA|[ʒ]}} before voiced consonants; 'caixmir'. Catalan also has the digraph 'tx', pronounced {{IPA|[tʃ]}}.
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| *In [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], 'x' has four main sounds; the most common is {{IPA|[ʃ]}}, as in 'xícara' (cup). The other sounds are: {{IPA|[ks]}} as in 'fênix/fénix' (phoenix); {{IPA|[s]}}, when preceded by E and followed by a consonant, as in 'contexto' ({{IPA|[ʃ]}} in European Portuguese), and in a small number of other words, such as 'próximo' (close/next); and (the rarest) {{IPA|[z]}}, which occurs in the prefix 'ex' before a vowel, as in 'exagerado' (exaggerated). A rare fifth sound is {{IPA|[ɡz]}}, coexisting with {{IPA|[z]}} and {{IPA|[ks]}} as acceptable pronunciations in ''exantema'' and in words with the Greek prefix 'hexa'.
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| *In [[Venetian language|Venetian]] it represents the voiced alveolar sibilant {{IPA|[z]}} much like in Portuguese 'exagerado', English 'xylophone' or in the French 'sixième'. Examples from medieval texts include ''raxon'' (reason), ''prexon'' (prison), ''dexerto'' (desert), ''chaxa/caxa'' (home). Nowadays, the best-known word is ''xe'' (is/are). The most notable exception to this rule is the name ''Venexia'' {{IPA|[veˈnɛsja]}} in which 'x' has evolved from the initial voiced sibilant {{IPA|[z]}} to the present day voiceless sibilant.
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| *In [[Albanian language|Albanian]], 'x' represents {{IPA|[dz]}}, while the [[Digraph (orthography)|digraph]] 'xh' represents {{IPA|[dʒ]}}.
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| *In [[Maltese language|Maltese]], 'x' is pronounced {{IPA|[ʃ]}} or, in some cases, {{IPA|[ʒ]}} (only in loanwords such as 'televixin', and not for all speakers).
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| Additionally, in languages for which the [[Latin script|Latin alphabet]] has been adapted only recently, 'x' has been used for various sounds, in some cases inspired by European usage, but in others, for consonants uncommon in Europe. For these no Latin letter stands out as an obvious choice, and since most of the various European pronunciations of 'x' can be written by other means, the letter becomes available for more unusual sounds.
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| *''X'' represents {{IPA|[x]}} in e.g. [[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]], [[Kurdish language|Kurdish]], [[Lojban]], [[Tatar language|Tatar]], [[Uzbek language|Uzbek]], [[Pashto language|Pashto]] and [[Uyghur language|Uyghur]] ([[Uyghur Latin Yéziqi|Latin script]]).
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| *[[Esperanto]]: The x-convention replaces ĉ, ĝ, ĥ, ĵ, ŝ, and ŭ with x-suffixes: cx, gx, hx, jx, sx, and ux.<ref>[[Esperanto#Writing diacritic letters|Writing diacritic letters]]</ref>
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| *In [[Hindi]], 'x' represents the consonant cluster {{IPA|[kʃ]}} in alternate spellings of words containing 'क्ष' (kṣ), especially names such as [[Laxmi]] and [[Dixit]]. Less frequently,'x' is used to represent 'ख़' {{IPA|[x]}}.
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| *In [[Nahuatl]], 'x' represents {{IPA|[ʃ]}}.
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| *[[Nguni languages]]: 'x' represents the [[alveolar lateral click]] {{IPA|[ǁ]}}.
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| *In [[Pirahã language|Pirahã]], 'x' symbolizes the [[glottal stop]] {{IPA|[ʔ]}}.
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| *An illustrating example of 'x' as a "leftover" letter is differing usage in three different [[Cushitic languages]]:
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| **[[Afar language]]: [[voiced alveolar implosive]] {{IPA|[ɗ]}}
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| **[[Oromo language]]: [[alveolar ejective]] {{IPA|[tʼ]}}
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| **[[Somali language]]: [[voiceless pharyngeal fricative]] {{IPA|[ħ]}}
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| === Usage in Southeast Asia and China ===
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| *In [[Lao language|Lao]], based on [[romanization of Lao#Consonants|romanization of Lao consonants]], 'x' may represent {{IPA|[ɕ]}}, e.g. in [[Lan Xang]].
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| *In [[Vietnamese alphabet#Consonants|Vietnamese]], 'x' is pronounced like English s (at the beginning of a word, e.g. "sing"). This sound was [ɕ] in Middle Vietnamese, resembling the Portuguese sound /ʃ/, spelled 'x'.
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| *In [[Hanyu Pinyin]], [[Standard Chinese]]'s official transcription system in China, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan, the letter 'x' represents the [[voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative]] {{IPA|/ɕ/}}, for instance in '[[Xi (surname)|Xi]]', [ɕi]. This sound somewhat resembles {{IPA|[ʃ]}}.
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| ==Metalinguistic usage==
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| In [[mathematics]], 'x' is commonly used as the name for an independent variable or unknown value. The modern tradition of using 'x' to represent an unknown was started by [[René Descartes]] in ''[[La Géométrie]]'' (1637).<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=7juWmvQSTvwC&pg=PA382</ref>
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| It may also be used to signify the [[multiplication]] operation when a more appropriate [[glyph]] is unavailable. In mathematical typesetting, 'x' meaning an algebraic variable is normally in [[italic type]] (<math>x\!</math>), partly to avoid confusion with the multiplication symbol. In fonts containing both 'x' (the letter) and '×' (the multiplication sign), the two glyphs are dissimilar.
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| Other non-mathematical uses include:
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| * As a result of its use in [[algebra]], X is often used to represent unknowns in other circumstances (e.g. Person X, Place X, etc.; see also [[Malcolm X]]).
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| * In the [[Cartesian coordinate system]] ''x'' is used to refer to the horizontal axis.
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| * X-rays are so called because their discoverer did not know what they were.
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| * X has been used as a namesake for a generation of humans: [[Generation X]], commonly abbreviated to Gen X. It is the generation born after the [[baby boom]] ended, ranging from 1961 to 1981.
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| * X is also used for referring to 'the end of conversation'.{{clarify|in what context?|date=July 2013}}
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| * X is used by the illiterate in lieu of a signature and indicates a signature line on forms.
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| * [[X mark]]s are used to indicate the concept of negation or incorrect, the opposite of a [[Tick (check mark)]]. It is also used however as a substitute for the check mark (most notably on election [[Ballot papers]])
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| * X is commonly used as a generic mark (selecting an item on a form, indicating a location on a map, etc.).
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| * The common custom of placing X's on envelopes, notes and at the bottom of letters to mean kisses dates back to the Middle Ages, when a [[Christian cross]] was drawn on documents or letters to mean sincerity, faith, and honesty.
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| * Usually in art or fashion, the use of X indicates a collaboration with two or more artists.{{clarify|use how?|date=July 2013}} The application extends to any other kinds of collaboration outside the art world.
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| * In cartoons, a dead character's eyes are often drawn as X's.
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| * In mapping by the standards of the [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]], an x-type mark is used to denote the point referred to by an elevation marking on [[topographical map]]s.
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| * Maps leading to hidden treasure often denote the treasure with an X. The expression "X marks the spot" is related to these [[treasure maps]]
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| ==Computing codes==
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| {{charmap
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| | 0058 | 0078 | name1 = Latin Capital Letter X | name2 =     Latin Small Letter X
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| | map1 = [[EBCDIC]] family | map1char1 = E7 | map1char2 = A7
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| | map2 = [[ASCII]] <sup>1<sup/> | map2char1 = 58 | map2char2 = 78
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| }}
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| : <sup>1</sup> {{midsize|Also for encodings based on ASCII, including the DOS, Windows, ISO-8859 and Macintosh families of encodings.}}
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| In the [[C programming language]], 'x' preceded by zero (0x or 0X) is used to denote hexadecimal literal values.
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| ==Related letters and other similar characters==
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| *Χ χ : [[Chi (letter)|Greek letter Chi]]
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| *Ξ ξ : [[Xi (letter)|Greek letter Xi]]
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| *{{unicode|א}} : [[aleph|Hebrew letter Aleph]]
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| *Х х : [[Kha|Cyrillic letter Kha]]
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| *{{unicode|ᚷ}} : [[Gyfu]], a letter in the [[Anglo-Saxon futhorc]] [[runic]] alphabet used in pre-[[Normans|Norman]] [[Britain in the Middle Ages|Britain]].
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| *[[Wikt:乂|乂]] : a [[Chinese language|Chinese]] character, pronounced {{IPA|[i]}} (high falling tone), "yì" in [[pinyin]]
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| *{{unicode|ㄨ}} : a letter representing {{IPA|[u]}} or {{IPA|[w]}} in [[Mandarin Phonetic Symbols]]
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| *{{unicode|メ}} : [[Me (kana)|Me]], a [[Japanese language|Japanese]] [[katakana]] character
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| *× : [[Multiplication sign]]
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| * Ⓧ : a symbol used in Japan for [[resale price maintenance]]
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| ==Other representations==
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| {{Letter other reps
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| |NATO=X-ray
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| |Morse=–··–
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| |Character=X
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| |Braille=⠭
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| }}
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| ==See also==
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| *[[XX (disambiguation)|XX]]
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| *[[XXX (disambiguation)|XXX]]
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| *[[XXXX]]
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| *[[X mark]]
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| *commonly used as a prefix term in nouns about the [[X Window System]] & [[Unix]]
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| ==External links==
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| *{{Commons-inline|X}}
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| *{{Wiktionary-inline|X}}
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| *{{Wiktionary-inline|x}}
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| *{{Cite AmCyc|X}}
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| {{Latin alphabet|X|}}
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| [[Category:ISO basic Latin letters]]
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| [[Category:Placeholder names]]
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