Labial–velar approximant
| Voiced labio-velar approximant | |
|---|---|
| w | |
| u̯ | |
| IPA number | 170 |
| Encoding | |
| Entity (decimal) | w |
| Unicode (hex) | U+0077 |
| X-SAMPA | w |
| Kirshenbaum | w |
| Braille |  |
| Listen | |
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| Compressed labio-velar approximant | |
|---|---|
| ɰᵝ | |
| wᵝ |
The voiced labio-velar approximant is a type of consonantal sound, used in certain spoken languages, including English. It is the sound denoted by the letter ⟨w⟩ in the English alphabet; likewise, the symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents this sound is ⟨w⟩, and the equivalent X-SAMPA symbol is w. In most languages it is a labialized velar approximant [ɰʷ], and the semivocalic counterpart of the close back rounded vowel [u] - i.e. the non-syllabic close back rounded vowel. In inventory charts of languages with other labialized velar consonants, /w/ will be placed in the same column as those consonants. When consonant charts have only labial and velar columns, /w/ may be placed in the velar column, (bi)labial column, or both. The placement may have more to do with phonological criteria than phonetic ones.
Some languages have the voiced labio-prevelar approximant, which is articulated slightly more front compared with the place of articulation of the prototypical voiced labio-prevelar approximant, though not as front as the prototypical labialized palatal approximant.
Features of the voiced labialized velar approximant:
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