Yes, the top-level domain (TLD) you asked about, XN—PSSY2U, is used for web addresses in the Punycode format, which is a method used for encoding domain names with the special characters that are contained in non-ASCII scripts. This TLD specifically represents ‘.評論’, which is in Chinese script and translates into English as “.reviews.”
To understand why TLDs like XN—PSSY2U exist, we need to look at how the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has broadened the way we use web addresses. Traditionally, TLDs were limited to specific categories such as .com for commercial, .org for organizations, and few others. However, ICANN started to allow more generic top-level domains (gTLDs) permitting businesses and organizations to scale beyond traditional domain names, aiding them to be more descriptive or language appropriate for their desired audience.
A turning point for the acceptance of non-English scripts in domain names came in 2009, ICANN approved the Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) system. Before this system, domain names could only utilize ASCII characters – Latin letters A-Z, digits 0-9, and a few symbols. The IDN system expanded the character set for domain names to include non-ASCII characters (like those found in the Chinese language), making the internet more accessible to non-English speakers worldwide.
Getting back to our TLD, XN—PSSY2U was set live in 2015 and is sponsored by the TLD Registry Limited. Being a gTLD, it is intended to be used globally, across all regions and languages, although it presents a particular appeal to the Chinese-speaking world due to its linguistic relevance.
To illustrate, a company could use www.example.評論 to open their business up to reviews in Chinese-speaking regions, providing a familiar, easily recognized platform for those customers to express their opinions on products or services offered.
The name in Punycode (xn—pssy2u) is just a technical requirement for how these internationalized domain names are encoded and recognized by the Domain Name System (DNS), the internet’s essential element for translating the web addresses humans are comfortable with into the IP addresses machines use.
Sources:
Villanustre, F. (2014) ICANN’s massive expansion of domain names: Why it does and doesn’t matter. Retrieved from: https://www.networkworld.com/article/2171041/icanns-massive-expansion-of-domain-names—why-it-does-and-doesn-t-matter.html
Internet Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (2012). Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) Programme. Retrieved from: https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/idn-2012-02-25-en
The ICANNWiki (n.d.) .評論. Retrieved from: https://icannwiki.org/.%E8%A9%95%E8%AB%96.
