Upsilon small (ʊ) is the Unicode character at U+028A in IPA Extensions. Official name: LATIN SMALL LETTER UPSILON — the IPA symbol for the near-close near-back rounded vowel. It is not the Greek letter υ.
Remember
Character ʊ
Unicode U+028A
Hex entity ʊ
Decimal ʊ
CSS escape \028A
Named entity (none)
Not the same υ · Ʊ · u
Prefer ʊ or ʊ in HTML markup. You can also type ʊ in UTF-8. There is no named entity. For the related Latin capital, see upsilon (U+01B1).
Using Hex Code: ʊ
Using HTML Code: ʊ
Using CSS Entity: ʊ
Typed directly: ʊ
IPA: book [bʊk]
Not Greek υ (υ)
How It Works
1. Hex:U+028A → ʊ in HTML. The browser turns it into ʊ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 650 → ʊ. Same result as hex.
3. CSS: use \028A in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ʊ after the paragraph text.
4. Typed / IPA: paste ʊ in UTF-8, or write a transcription like [bʊk]. Keep Greek υ (υ) as a separate character.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with U+028A.
Named
No IPA named entity
HTML5 has no named entity for U+028A. Use ʊ or ʊ. Do not confuse with υ (that is Greek).
vs υ
Not Greek upsilon
υ (υ, U+03C5) is Greek. ʊ is IPA Latin — different scripts and uses.
vs Ʊ
Not the Latin capital
Ʊ (U+01B1) is LATIN CAPITAL LETTER UPSILON. ʊ is the IPA small form in a different block.
vs u
Not plain u
ASCII u is a different letter. IPA ʊ has a distinct horseshoe-like shape for phonetic work.
Fonts
IPA needs a capable font
Some fonts omit IPA Extensions. Prefer a font that covers IPA (for example Noto Sans, Charis SIL, or Doulos SIL) when transcriptions must look correct.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\028A belongs in CSS strings. ʊ / ʊ belong in HTML.
A11y
Label IPA use
When ʊ appears in transcriptions, wrap or label the IPA so readers know it is phonetic notation, not Greek text.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Upsilon small (U+028A) and its entity forms (ʊ, ʊ, CSS \\028A) are supported in all mainstream browsers. Visible IPA glyphs depend on fonts that include IPA Extensions.
✓ Universal support
Upsilon Small (ʊ)
Encode with hex, decimal, CSS escape, or type the character — same code point everywhere encoding is supported.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerAll versions
Yes
U+028AFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ʊ or ʊ in HTML. Use \\028A only inside CSS content. Do not confuse with Greek υ (υ).
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: upsilon small is U+028A (decimal 650) — glyph ʊ.
HTML: use ʊ or ʊ — no named entity in HTML5.
CSS: use \028A inside content for generated text.
Meaning:ʊ is IPA — not Greek υ (υ), not Latin capital Ʊ, not plain u.
One line:U+028A → ʊ / ʊ / CSS \028A.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ʊ (hex), ʊ (decimal), type ʊ directly in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \028A in content. There is no named HTML entity for U+028A.
U+028A (LATIN SMALL LETTER UPSILON). Hex 28A, decimal 650. It belongs to IPA Extensions (U+0250–U+02AF).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character. Use numeric forms ʊ or ʊ.
No. ʊ is an IPA Latin letter (U+028A). Greek small upsilon is U+03C5 and uses υ. They look related but are different characters.
Use it in phonetic transcriptions for the near-close near-back rounded vowel — for example [bʊk] for book — not as a substitute for Greek υ or Latin capital Ʊ.
HTML entities (ʊ or ʊ) go in markup. The CSS escape \028A goes in stylesheet strings (usually content on ::before/::after).
🤔
Did you know?
Upsilon small (ʊ) is Unicode U+028A (decimal 650) — LATIN SMALL LETTER UPSILON in IPA Extensions. HTML5 has no named entity — use ʊ or ʊ. In IPA it marks the near-close near-back rounded vowel (as in English book). It is not Greek small upsilon υ (υ, U+03C5). Related Latin capital is U+01B1 (Ʊ).
