International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Symbols Unicode Cheat Sheet

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) Symbols Unicode Cheat Sheet

The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is a set of symbols representing the sounds of natural languages. This cheat sheet lists IPA symbols along with their names, phonetic descriptions, and Unicode hexadecimal forms.

Sounds are ordered by IPA number and grouped by series. Please see my notes and references for additional information. All data can be found in my GitHub repository, IPA Data.

Consonant IPA Symbols

IPA101
voiceless bilabial plosive
p
lower-case P
p
IPA102
voiced bilabial plosive
b
lower-case B
b
IPA103
voiceless dental or alveolar plosive
t
lower-case T
t
IPA104
voiced dental or alveolar plosive
d
lower-case D
d
IPA105
voiceless retroflex plosive
ʈ
right-tail T
ʈ
IPA106
voiced retroflex plosive
ɖ
right-tail D
ɖ
IPA107
voiceless palatal plosive
c
lower-case C
c
IPA108
voiced palatal plosive
ɟ
barred dotless J
ɟ
IPA109
voiceless velar plosive
k
lower-case K
k
IPA110
voiced velar plosive
equivalent to 210
ɡ
opentail G
ɡ
IPA111
voiceless uvular plosive
q
lower-case Q
q
IPA112
voiced uvular plosive
ɢ
small capital G
ɢ
IPA113
glottal plosive
ʔ
glottal stop
ʔ
IPA114
voiced bilabial nasal
m
lower-case M
m
IPA115
voiced labiodental nasal
ɱ
left-tail M (at right)
ɱ
IPA116
voiced dental or alveolar nasal
n
lower-case N
n
IPA117
voiced retroflex nasal
ɳ
right-tail N
ɳ
IPA118
voiced palatal nasal
ɲ
left-tail N (at left)
ɲ
IPA119
voiced velar nasal
ŋ
eng
ŋ
IPA120
voiced uvular nasal
ɴ
small capital N
ɴ
IPA121
voiced bilabial trill
ʙ
small capital B
ʙ
IPA122
voiced dental or alveolar trill
r
lower-case R
r
IPA123
voiced uvular trill
ʀ
small capital R
ʀ
IPA124
voiced dental or alveolar tap
ɾ
fish-hook R
ɾ
IPA125
voiced retroflex flap
ɽ
right-tail R
ɽ
IPA126
voiceless bilabial fricative
ɸ
phi
ɸ
IPA127
voiced bilabial fricative
β
beta
β
IPA128
voiceless labiodental fricative
f
lower-case F
f
IPA129
voiced labiodental fricative
v
lower-case V
v
IPA130
voiceless dental fricative
θ
theta
θ
IPA131
voiced dental fricative
ð
eth
ð
IPA132
voiceless alveolar fricative
s
lower-case S
s
IPA133
voiced alveolar fricative
z
lower-case Z
z
IPA134
voiceless postalveolar fricative
ʃ
esh
ʃ
IPA135
voiced postalveolar fricative
ʒ
ezh or tailed Z
ʒ
IPA136
voiceless retroflex fricative
ʂ
right-tail S (at left)
ʂ
IPA137
voiced retroflex fricative
ʐ
right-tail Z
ʐ
IPA138
voiceless palatal fricative
ç
C cedilla
ç
IPA139
voiced palatal fricative
ʝ
curly-tail J
ʝ
IPA140
voiceless palatal fricative
x
lower-case X
x
IPA141
voiced velar fricative
ɣ
gamma
ɣ
IPA142
voiceless uvular fricative
χ
chi
χ
IPA143
voiced uvular fricative
ʁ
inverted small capital R
ʁ
IPA144
voiceless pharyngeal fricative
ħ
barred H
ħ
IPA145
voiced pharyngeal fricative or approximant
ʕ
reversed glottal stop
ʕ
IPA146
voiceless glottal fricative
h
lower-case H
h
IPA147
voiced glottal fricative
ɦ
hooktop G
ɦ
IPA148
voiceless dental or alveolar lateral fricative
ɬ
belted L
ɬ
IPA149
voiced dental or alveolar lateral fricative
ɮ
L-ezh ligature
ɮ
IPA150
voiced labiodental approximant
ʋ
cursive V
ʋ
IPA151
voiced dental or alveolar approximant
ɹ
turned R
ɹ
IPA152
voiced retroflex approximant
ɻ
turned R, right tail
ɻ
IPA153
voiced palatal approximant
j
lower-case J
j
IPA154
voiced velar approximant
ɰ
turned M, right leg
ɰ
IPA155
voiced dental or alveolar lateral approximant
l
lower-case L
l
IPA156
voiced retroflex lateral approximant
ɭ
right-tail L
ɭ
IPA157
voiced palatal lateral approximant
ʎ
turned Y
ʎ
IPA158
voiced velar lateral approximant
ʟ
small capital L
ʟ
IPA159
voiceless bilabial implosive
withdrawn (1993)
ƥ
hooktop P
ƥ
IPA160
voiced bilabial implosive
ɓ
hooktop B
ɓ
IPA161
voiceless dental or alveolar implosive
withdrawn (1993)
ƭ
hooktop T
ƭ
IPA162
voiced dental or alveolar implosive
ɗ
hooktop D
ɗ
IPA163
voiceless palatal implosive
withdrawn (1993)
ƈ
hooktop C
ƈ
IPA164
voiced palatal implosive
ʄ
hooktop barred dotless J
ʄ
IPA165
voiceless velar implosive
withdrawn (1993)
ƙ
hooktop K
ƙ
IPA166
voiced velar implosive
ɠ
hooktop G
ɠ
IPA167
voiceless uvular implosive
withdrawn (1993)
ʠ
hooktop Q
ʠ
IPA168
voiced uvular implosive
ʛ
hooktop small capital G
ʛ
IPA169
voiceless labial-velar fricative
ʍ
turned W
ʍ
IPA170
voiced labial-velar approximant
w
lower-case W
w
IPA171
voiced labial-palatal approximant
ɥ
turned H
ɥ
IPA172
voiceless epiglottal fricative
ʜ
small capital H
ʜ
IPA173
epiglottal plosive
ʡ
barred glottal stop
ʡ
IPA174
voiced epiglottal fricative or approximant
ʢ
barred reversed glottal stop
ʢ
IPA175
voiceless simultaneous postalveolar and velar fricative
ɧ
hooktop heng
ɧ
IPA176
bilabial click
ʘ
bull’s eye
ʘ
IPA177
dental click
ǀ
pipe
ǀ
IPA178
(post)alveolar click
ǃ
exclamation point
ǃ
IPA179
palatoalveolar click
ǂ
double-barred pipe
ǂ
IPA180
alveolar lateral click
ǁ
double pipe
ǁ
IPA181
voiced alveolar lateral flap
ɺ
turned long-leg R
ɺ
IPA182
voiceless alveolo-palatal fricative
ɕ
curly-tail C
ɕ
IPA183
voiced alveolo-palatal fricative
ʑ
curly-tail Z
ʑ
IPA184
voiced labiodental flap
adopted (2005)
right-hook V
ⱱ

Extra IPA Symbols

IPA201
dental click
superseded by 177 (1989)
ʇ
turned T
ʇ
IPA202
postalveolar click
superseded by 178 (1989)
ʗ
stretched C
ʗ
IPA203
alveolar lateral click
superseded by 180 (1989)
ʖ
inverted glottal stop
ʖ
IPA204

withdrawn (1989)
ʆ
curly-tail esh
ʆ
IPA205

withdrawn (1989)
ʓ
curly-tail ezh
ʓ
IPA206

withdrawn (1989)
ɼ
long-leg R
ɼ
IPA207

withdrawn (1989)
ˢ
superscript S
ˢ
IPA208
palatalized voiceless dental or alveolar plosive
withdrawn (1989)
ƫ
left-hook T
ƫ
IPA209
velarized voiced dental or alveolar lateral approximant
ɫ
L with tilde
ɫ
IPA210
voiced velar plosive
equivalent to 110
g
looptail G
g
IPA211
voiceless dental or alveolar affricate
superseded by 103+132
ʦ
T-S ligature
ʦ
IPA212
voiced alveolar affricate
superseded by 104+133
ʣ
D-Z ligature
ʣ
IPA213
voiceless postalveolar affricate
superseded by 103+134
ʧ
T-esh ligature
ʧ
IPA214
voiced postalveolar affricate
superseded by 104+135
ʤ
D-ezh ligature
ʤ
IPA215
voiceless alveolo-palatal affricate
superseded by 103+182
ʨ
T-curly-tail-C ligature
ʨ
IPA216
voiced alveolo-palatal affricate
superseded by 104+183
ʥ
D-curly-tail-Z ligature
ʥ
IPA217
voiceless dental fricative release
ᶿ
superscript theta
ᶿ
IPA218
mid central release
superscript schwa
ᵊ
IPA219
voiced retroflex imposive
not explicitly IPA approved
hooktop right-tail-D
ᶑ
IPA220
voiceless alveolo-palatal stop
not explicitly IPA approved
ȶ
curly-tail T
ȶ
IPA221
voiced alveolo-palatal stop
not explicitly IPA approved
ȡ
curly-tail D
ȡ
IPA222
voiced alveolo-palatal nasal
not explicitly IPA approved
ȵ
curly-tail N (at right)
ȵ
IPA290

withdrawn (1976)
ƻ
barred two
ƻ
IPA291

withdrawn (1979)
ʞ
turned K
ʞ
IPA292
voiceless velar fricative release
ˣ
superscript X
ˣ
IPA293
syllabic nasal
withdrawn (1976)
ƞ
N, right leg
ƞ
IPA294
voiceless dental or alveolar lateral affricate
not IPA usage
ƛ
barred lambda
ƛ
IPA295
voiceless dental or alveolar lateral fricative
not IPA usage
λ
lambda
λ
IPA296
voiced postalveolar
not IPA usage
ž
Z wedge
ž
IPA297
voiceless postalveolar fricative
not IPA usage
š
S wedge
š
IPA298
voiced postalveolar affricate
not IPA usage
ǰ
J wedge
ǰ
IPA299
voiceless postalveolar affricate
not IPA usage
č
C wedge
č

Vowel IPA Symbols

IPA301
close front unrounded vowel
i
lower-case I
i
IPA302
close-mid front unrounded vowel
e
lower-case E
e
IPA303
open-mid front unrounded vowel
ɛ
epsilon
ɛ
IPA304
open front unrounded vowel
a
lower-case A
a
IPA305
open back unrounded vowel
ɑ
script A
ɑ
IPA306
open-mid back rounded vowel
ɔ
open O
ɔ
IPA307
close-mid back rounded vowel
o
lower-case O
o
IPA308
close back rounded vowel
u
lower-case U
u
IPA309
close front rounded vowel
y
lower-case Y
y
IPA310
close-mid front rounded vowel
ø
slashed O
ø
IPA311
open-mid front rounded vowel
œ
lower-case O-E ligature
œ
IPA312
open front rounded vowel
ɶ
small capital O-E ligature
ɶ
IPA313
open back rounded vowel
ɒ
turned script A
ɒ
IPA314
open-mid back unrounded vowel
ʌ
turned V
ʌ
IPA315
close-mid back unrounded vowel
ɤ
ram’s horns
ɤ
IPA316
close back unrounded vowel
ɯ
turned M
ɯ
IPA317
close central unrounded vowel
ɨ
barred I
ɨ
IPA318
close central rounded vowel
ʉ
barred U
ʉ
IPA319
near-close near-front unrounded vowel
ɪ
small capital I
ɪ
IPA320
near-close near-front rounded vowel
ʏ
small capital Y
ʏ
IPA321
near-close near-back rounded vowel
ʊ
upsilon
ʊ
IPA322
mid central vowel
ə
schwa
ə
IPA323
close-mid central rounded vowel
ɵ
barred O
ɵ
IPA324
near-open central vowel
ɐ
turned A
ɐ
IPA325
near-open front unrounded vowel
æ
ash or lower-case A-E ligature
æ
IPA326
open-mid central unrounded vowel
ɜ
reversed epsilon
ɜ
IPA327
R-coloured mid central vowel
equivalent to 322+419
ɚ
right-hook schwa
ɚ
IPA394
vowel
not IPA usage
ı
undotted I
ı
IPA395
open-mid central rounded vowel
ɞ
closed reversed epsilon
ɞ
IPA396
open-mid central rounded vowel
superseded by 395 (1996)
ʚ
closed epsilon
ʚ
IPA397
close-mid central unrounded vowel
ɘ
reversed E
ɘ
IPA398
near-close near-back rounded vowel
superseded by 321 (1989)
ɷ
closed omega
ɷ
IPA399
near-close near-front unrounded vowel
superseded by 319 (1989)
ɩ
iota
ɩ

Diacritic IPA Symbols

IPA401
ejective
ʼ
apostrophe
ʼ
IPA402
voiceless
◌̥
under-ring
̥
◌̊
over-ring
̊
IPA403
voiced
◌̬
subscript wedge
̬
IPA404
aspirated
ʰ
superscript H
ʰ
IPA405
breathy voiced
◌̤
subscript umlaut
̤
IPA406
creaky voiced
◌̰
subscript tilde
̰
IPA407
linguolabial
◌̼
subscript seagull
̼
IPA408
dental
◌̪
subscript bridge
̪
IPA409
apical
◌̺
inverted subscript bridge
̺
IPA410
laminal
◌̻
subscript square
̻
IPA411
more rounded
◌̹
subscript right half-ring
̹
IPA412
less rounded
◌̜
subscript left half-ring
̜
IPA413
advanced
◌̟
subscript plus
̟
IPA414
retracted
◌̠
under-bar
̠
IPA415
centralized
◌̈
umlaut
̈
IPA416
mid-centralized
◌̽
over-cross
̽
IPA417
advanced tongue root
◌̘
advancing sign
̘
IPA418
retracted tongue root
◌̙
retracting sign
̙
IPA419
rhoticity
˞
right hook
˞
IPA420
labialized
ʷ
superscript W
ʷ
IPA421
palatalized
ʲ
superscript J
ʲ
IPA422
velarized
ˠ
superscript gamma
ˠ
IPA423
pharyngealized
ˤ
superscript reversed glottal stop
ˤ
IPA424
nasalized
◌̃
superscript tilde
̃
IPA425
nasal release
superscript N
ⁿ
IPA426
lateral release
ˡ
superscript L
ˡ
IPA427
no audible release
◌̚
corner
̚
IPA428
velarized or pharyngealized
◌̴
superimposed tilde
̴
IPA429
raised
◌̝
raising sign
̝
◌˔
raising sign
˔
IPA430
lowered
◌̞
lowering sign
̞
◌˕
lowering sign
˕
IPA431
syllabic
◌̩
syllabicity mark
̩
IPA432
non-syllabic
◌̯
subscript arch
̯
IPA433
affricate or double
◌͡◌
top tie bar
͡
IPA489
rhoticity
superseded by 419 (1989)
◌̢
subscript right hook
̢
IPA490
release or burst
not IPA usage
˹
open corner
˹
IPA491
pause (comma)
not IPA usage
,
comma
,
IPA492
weak aspiration
withdrawn (1979)
ʻ
reversed apostrophe
ʻ
IPA493
palatalization or centralization
withdrawn (1979)
◌̇
over-dot
̇
IPA494
retracted variety (backed)
use 414 or 418 (1989)
˗
minus sign
˗
IPA495
advanced variety (fronted)
use 413 or 417 (1989)
˖
plus sign
˖
IPA496
high-front rounding or palatalized
not IPA usage
ʸ
superscript Y
ʸ
IPA497
closer variety or fricative
use 429 (1989)
◌̣
under-dot
̣
IPA498
palatalized
superseded by 421 (1989)
◌̡
subscript left hook
̡
IPA499
labialized
superseded by 420 (1989)
◌̫
subscript W
̫

Suprasegmental IPA Symbols

IPA501
primary stress
ˈ
vertical stroke (superior)
ˈ
IPA502
secondary stress
ˌ
vertical stroke (inferior)
ˌ
IPA503
long
ː
length mark
ː
IPA504
half-long
ˑ
half-length mark
ˑ
IPA505
extra-short
◌̆
breve
̆
IPA506
syllable break
.
period
.
IPA507
minor (foot) group
|
vertical line (thick)
|
IPA508
major (intonation) group
double vertical line (thick)
‖
IPA509
linking (absence of a break)
bottom tie bar
‿
IPA510
global rise
↗︎
upward diagonal arrow
↗
IPA511
global fall
↘︎
downward diagonal arrow
↘
IPA512
extra high level
◌̋
double acute accent (over)
̋
IPA513
high level
◌́
acute accent (over)
́
IPA514
mid level
◌̄
macron
̄
IPA515
low level
◌̀
grave accent (over)
̀
IPA516
extra low level
◌̏
double grave accent (over)
̏
IPA517
downstep
down arrow
↓
IPA518
upstep
up arrow
↑
IPA519
extra high level
˥
extra-high tone letter
˥
IPA520
high level
˦
high tone letter
˦
IPA521
mid level
˧
mid tone letter
˧
IPA522
low level
˨
low tone letter
˨
IPA523
extra low level
˩
extra-low tone letter
˩
IPA524
rising contour
◌̌
wedge or háček
̌
IPA525
falling contour
◌̂
circumflex
̂
IPA526
high rising contour
◌᷄
macron plus acute accent
᷄
IPA527
low rising contour
◌᷅
grave plus acute accent
᷅
IPA528
rising-falling contour
◌᷈
grave plus acute plus grave accent
᷈
IPA529
rising contour
˩˥
rising tone letter
˩˥
IPA530
falling contour
˥˩
falling tone letter
˥˩
IPA531
high rising contour
˦˥
high-rising tone letter
˦˥
IPA532
low rising contour
˩˨
low-rising tone letter
˩˨
IPA533
rising-falling contour
˧˦˧
rising-falling tone letter
˧˦˧
IPA595
long falling tone or advanced or palatal
not IPA usage
◌̑
superscript arch
̑
IPA596
falling-rising tone
usage redefined (1989) see 524
ˇ
wedge or háček
ˇ
IPA597
rising-falling tone
usage redefined (1989) see 525
ˆ
circumflex
ˆ
IPA598
low falling tone
superseded (1989)
◌̖
subscript grave accent
̖
◌ˎ
subscript grave accent
ˎ
IPA599
low rising tone
superseded (1989)
◌̗
subscript acute accent
̗
◌ˏ
subscript acute accent
ˏ

Extensions to the IPA (ExtIPA)

IPA601
bidental percussive
ʭ
double bridge
ʭ
IPA602
velopharyngeal fricative
ʩ
F-eng ligature
ʩ
IPA603
lateralized [s]
ʪ
L-S ligature
ʪ
IPA604
lateralized [z]
ʫ
L-Z ligature
ʫ
IPA611
unidentified segment(s)
balloon
❍
IPA612
placeholder symbol
*
asterisk
*
IPA621
voice
equivalent to 722
V
upper-case V
V
IPA622
falsetto
equivalent to 706
F
upper-case F
F
IPA623
whisper
equivalent to 723
W
upper-case W
W
IPA624
creak
equivalent to 703
C
upper-case C
C
IPA625
larynx
equivalent to 712
L
upper-case L
L
IPA626
jaw
equivalent to 710
J
upper-case J
J
IPA627
oesophageal speech
Œ
upper-case O-E ligature
Œ
IPA628
protruded-tongue voice
Θ
upper-case Greek theta
Θ
IPA631
short pause
use 506
(.)
bracketed single period
(.)
IPA632
medium-length pause
use 506
(..)
bracketed double period
(..)
IPA633
long pause
use 506
(…)
bracketed triple period
(...)
IPA634
loud speech
𝆑
forte
𝆑
IPA635
louder speech
𝆑𝆑
fortissimo
𝆑𝆑
IPA636
quiet speech
𝆏
piano
𝆏
IPA637
quieter speech
𝆏𝆏
pianissimo
𝆏𝆏
IPA638
fast speech
𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑜
allegro
𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑜
IPA639
slow speech
𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑜
lento
𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑜
IPA640
slight degree
1
numeral one
1
IPA641
moderate degree
2
numeral two
2
IPA642
extreme degree
3
numeral three
3
IPA651
dentolabial
◌͆
superscript bridge
͆
IPA652
labial spreading
◌͍
subscript double arrow
͍
IPA653
bidental articulation
◌̪͆
superscript+subscript bridge
̪͆
IPA654
denasal
◌͊
superscript slashed tilde
͊
IPA655
nasal escape
◌͋
superscript dotted tilde
͋
IPA656
velopharyngeal friction
◌͌
superscript double tilde
͌
IPA657
stronger articulation
◌͈
subscript double syllabicity mark
͈
IPA658
weaker articulation
◌͉
subscript corner
͉
IPA659
reiterated articulation
\
backslash
\
IPA660
whistled articulation
◌͎
subscript upward arrow-head
͎
IPA661
ingressive air flow
down full arrow
↓
IPA662
egressive air flow
up full arrow
↑
IPA663
pre-voicing
use 403
ˬ◌
left-sited subscript wedge
ˬ
IPA664
post-voicing
equivalent to 403
ˬ
right-sited subscript wedge
ˬ
IPA665
partial voicing
₍◌̬₎
bracketed subscript wedge
₍̬₎
IPA666
initial partial voicing
₍◌̬
left-bracketed subscript wedge
₍̬
IPA667
final partial voicing
◌̬₎
right-bracketed subscript wedge
̬₎
IPA668
partial devoicing
₍◌̥₎
bracketed under-ring
₍̥₎
IPA669
initial partial devoicing
₍◌̥
left-bracketed under-ring
₍̥
IPA670
final partial devoicing
◌̥₎
right-bracketed under-ring
̥₎
IPA671
pre-aspiration
use 404
ʰ◌
left-sited superscript H
ʰ
IPA672
ventricular
!!
right-sited double exclamation point
!!
IPA673
labiodentalized
superscript cursive V
ᶹ
IPA674
slurred articulation
◌͢
subscript right arrow
͢
IPA675
alveolarized
◌͇
subscript equals sign
͇
IPA676
uvularized
ʶ
superscript inverted small capital R
ʶ
IPA677
faucalized
superscript double-barred H
ꟸ
IPA678
labialized: open-rounded
superscript O-E ligature
ꟹ
IPA679
harsh
!
right-sited exclamation point
!
IPA680
unaspirated
˭
superscript equals sign
˭
IPA681
laterally offset to the right
˱
subscript left pointer
˱
IPA682
laterally offset to the left
˲
subscript right pointer
˲
IPA683
creaky
equivalent to 406
˷
right-sited subscript tilde
˷

Transcription Delimitation Characters

IPA901
begin phonetic transcription
[
left square bracket
[
IPA902
end phonetic transcription
]
right square bracket
]
IPA903
begin phonemic transcription or end phonemic transcription
/
slash
/
IPA906
indistinguishable utterance (begin)
(
left parenthesis
(
IPA907
indistinguishable utterance (end)
)
right parenthesis
)
IPA908
sound obscured (begin)
((
left double parenthesis
((
IPA909
sound obscured (end)
))
right double parenthesis
))
IPA910
begin prosodic notation
{
left brace
{
IPA911
end prosodic notation
}
right brace
}

Notes

Changes to the data are noted in my IPA Data repository’s changelog. I used the dotted circle (◌) in the representation of IPA symbols with composing characters (e.g., IPA402) and to denote the position of modified sounds (e.g., IPA665). In these cases, Unicode hexadecimal forms exclude the dotted circle (◌). This cheat sheet performs best with Google Noto Fonts installed, and I attempt to load uninstalled fonts with Web Font Loader. If neither condition is met, IPA symbols will fail to display and you might see ‘tofu’ (e.g., □).

My thanks to Dr. John Esling, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at the University of Victoria, for discussions regarding phonetics and the IPA.

What we learned

Thanks to this cheat sheet, we can now:

  • reference IPA symbols by IPA number
  • find the Unicode hexadecimal form of IPA symbols

Thank you for reading, and have fun coding.

References