Cyrillic Small Letter Barred O

It marks a rounded vowel, distinct from ordinary о.

Kyrgyz learner guides compare its pronunciation with German ö, and Mongolian references romanize it as ö. The exact sound varies by language.

In a word or message, read ө as part of the spelling. It is not a mood marker.

Where did ө come from?

The modern design trail includes a Mongolian Latin alphabet that used ө for ö in 1932. A Buryat Cyrillic design used ө and ү in 1939, and its design devices later informed Mongolia's Cyrillic alphabet.

The letter gives a rounded vowel its own place in the spelling system. Mongolia chose Cyrillic in 1941, in a political setting tied to Soviet solidarity; by 1945, the press and state business were being moved into the new script.