What is the IPA symbol ˩?

˩ is the International Phonetic Alphabet symbol for the Tone: ˩, a voiceless stop (tone).

How common is the ˩ sound across languages?

The Tone: ˩ (˩) appears in 38 of the 500 languages in the PHOIBLE database, giving it a cross-linguistic frequency of 8%. It is one of the rarer sounds in human language.

Is ˩ voiced or voiceless?

The Tone: ˩ (˩) is voiceless. The vocal cords do not vibrate during production.

˩ is the IPA symbol for the Tone: ˩, a voiceless stop tone. It appears in 38 of 500 languages (8% cross-linguistic frequency).

Tone: ˩

Tone · voiceless

No audio available for this symbol

Languages using this sound 38 / 500

Cross-linguistic frequency 8%

One of the rarer sounds in human language.

Type tone

Articulation

Every speech sound is defined by three properties: its class (consonant, vowel, or tone), its place of articulation (where in the vocal tract it is formed — lips, teeth, palate, etc.), its manner (how airflow is controlled — stopped, funneled into a fricative, channeled through the nose), and its voicing (whether the vocal cords vibrate during production).

Class: Tone
Voicing: Voiceless
Place: —
Manner: Stop

Languages using this sound

This sound appears in 38 of the 500 languages in our database. Languages that use a sound only in loanwords or in rare, specialized contexts are marked as marginal (*) — the sound exists but is not a core part of the phonological system. Click any language to view its full sound inventory.

Dan Luvale Gbeya Kanuri Logbara Mahas-Fiyadikka Maasai Lakkia Yay Cham Gadsup Auyana Chipewyan Navaho Karok Tiwa Tewa Otomi Mazahua Mazateco Mixtec Barasano Ticuna Ocaina Angas Margi Awiya Iraqw Kpelle Dagbani Ga Beembe Punjabi Igbo Somali Zulu Ewe Kikamba

Related sounds

˥˦ Tone: ˥˦ ˧ Tone: ˧ ˩˨ Tone: ˩˨ ˦ Tone: ˦ ˦˥ Tone: ˦˥ ˦˥̰ Tone: ˦˥̰ ˨˩ Tone: ˨˩ ˨˩̤ Tone: ˨˩̤