What sound does the symbol 'ʌ' represent?

The symbol 'ʌ' represents the "uh" sound, often referred to as the open-mid back unrounded vowel. This sound is commonly found in words like "cut," "bus," and "luck." In the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), 'ʌ' specifically indicates a vowel sound that is articulated with the tongue positioned relatively low in the mouth but not as low as for the 'a' sound represented by 'æ.'

The recognition of this sound as the "uh" vowel is critical for understanding pronunciation variations in English and other languages. It serves a significant role in distinguishing meaning between words that may otherwise be phonetically similar if pronounced with different vowel sounds.