The close central rounded vowel is a type of vowel sound, used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is , and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is }. The IPA symbol is the letter u with a horizontal bar. Both the symbol and the sound are commonly referred to as "barred-u". On MediaWiki software the symbol can be made by u, however this is not the Unicode character.

There is also a close central compressed vowel which contrasts with both the rounded and unrounded close central vowels.

Features

• Its vowel height is close, which means the tongue is positioned as close as possible to the roof of the mouth without creating a constriction that would be classified as a consonant.
• Its vowel backness is central, which means the tongue is positioned halfway between a front vowel and a back vowel.
• Its vowel roundedness is rounded, which means that the lips are rounded and protrude, and the inner surfaces are exposed.

Occurs in

• English: (AuE and NZE) boot
• Finland-Swedish: ut "out"
• Irish: úllaí "apples"

Vowels

Uzavřená střední zaokrouhlená samohláska | Gerundeter geschlossener Zentralvokal | Voyelle haute centrale arrondie | 중설 원순 고모음 | 円唇中舌狭母音