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Kaf

Kaf, also spelled Khaf in some transliteration schemes, is the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It has two forms: the standard letter כ and the final form ך, which is used only at the end of a word. In gematria, Kaf has a numeric value of 20. In modern Hebrew, the letter generally represents the voiceless velar plosive sound /k/ and is commonly transliterated as "k" in Latin scripts.

The name Kaf is historically linked to the Hebrew word כף, meaning "palm" or "scoop," and the letter

In writing and typography, the two glyphs (כ and ך) are used according to position within a word:

As with other Hebrew letters, Kaf is taught in literacy contexts and appears in dictionaries and word

itself
derives
from
the
Phoenician
Kaph.
This
Phoenician
form
gave
rise
to
the
Greek
kappa
and,
ultimately,
the
Latin
C
and
K,
reflecting
the
historical
development
of
many
alphabetic
systems.
כ
appears
in
non-final
positions,
while
ך
is
the
final
form
used
at
word
endings.
Beyond
its
role
as
a
letter,
Kaf
appears
in
discussions
of
Hebrew
phonology,
orthography,
and
numerology,
and
it
figures
in
studies
of
biblical
and
modern
Hebrew
texts.
lists
that
catalog
Hebrew
alphabetic
order,
sound
value,
and
transliteration
conventions.
Its
historical
lineage
and
its
stable
position
in
the
alphabet
make
it
a
common
reference
point
in
discussions
of
Semitic
scripts.