diff --git a/src/lexer.rs b/src/lexer.rs
index 1e370b8..db0c98f 100644
--- a/src/lexer.rs
+++ b/src/lexer.rs
@@ -493,6 +493,77 @@ impl<'a> Lexer<'a> {
                                 Some('"') => '"',
                                 Some('0') => '\0',
                                 Some('\'') => '\'',
+                                Some('x') => {
+                                    // Hex escape \xNN
+                                    let h1 = self.advance().and_then(|c| c.to_digit(16));
+                                    let h2 = self.advance().and_then(|c| c.to_digit(16));
+                                    match (h1, h2) {
+                                        (Some(d1), Some(d2)) => {
+                                            let byte = (d1 * 16 + d2) as u8;
+                                            byte as char
+                                        }
+                                        _ => {
+                                            return Err(LexError {
+                                                message: "Invalid hex escape sequence: expected \\xNN".into(),
+                                                span: Span::new(escape_start - 1, self.pos),
+                                            });
+                                        }
+                                    }
+                                }
+                                Some('u') => {
+                                    // Unicode escape \u{NNNN} or \uNNNN
+                                    if self.peek() == Some('{') {
+                                        self.advance(); // consume '{'
+                                        let mut hex = String::new();
+                                        while let Some(c) = self.peek() {
+                                            if c == '}' {
+                                                self.advance();
+                                                break;
+                                            }
+                                            if c.is_ascii_hexdigit() {
+                                                hex.push(c);
+                                                self.advance();
+                                            } else {
+                                                return Err(LexError {
+                                                    message: format!("Invalid unicode escape: expected hex digit, got '{}'", c),
+                                                    span: Span::new(escape_start - 1, self.pos),
+                                                });
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                        match u32::from_str_radix(&hex, 16).ok().and_then(char::from_u32) {
+                                            Some(c) => c,
+                                            None => {
+                                                return Err(LexError {
+                                                    message: format!("Invalid unicode escape: \\u{{{}}}", hex),
+                                                    span: Span::new(escape_start - 1, self.pos),
+                                                });
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                    } else {
+                                        // \uNNNN format (4 hex digits)
+                                        let mut hex = String::new();
+                                        for _ in 0..4 {
+                                            match self.advance() {
+                                                Some(c) if c.is_ascii_hexdigit() => hex.push(c),
+                                                _ => {
+                                                    return Err(LexError {
+                                                        message: "Invalid unicode escape: expected 4 hex digits".into(),
+                                                        span: Span::new(escape_start - 1, self.pos),
+                                                    });
+                                                }
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                        match u32::from_str_radix(&hex, 16).ok().and_then(char::from_u32) {
+                                            Some(c) => c,
+                                            None => {
+                                                return Err(LexError {
+                                                    message: format!("Invalid unicode escape: \\u{}", hex),
+                                                    span: Span::new(escape_start - 1, self.pos),
+                                                });
+                                            }
+                                        }
+                                    }
+                                }
                                 Some(c) => {
                                     return Err(LexError {
                                         message: format!("Invalid escape sequence: \\{}", c),