EDIT This symbol is used (primarily by scholars of Chinese languages/dialects) to represent a retroflex apical vowel. Its equivalent representation in the IPA is [ʐ̩] (the voiced retroflex fricative U+0290 with a syllabic diacritic U+0329).

 dan.mccloy  :  dan.mccloy 

EDIT International Phonetic Alphabet

+ Vowel

+ Alternatives // unknown
+ Former versions // unknown
+ Origin // Latin alphabet, small letter
+ Visual characterization // reversed small letter r with fish hook and retroflex tail

+ Other // All the retroflex sounds have a right tail. This symbol was never officially part of the IPA.


Synonyms

English
+ Official name in the IPA // ›unrounded retroflex vowel‹


+ Source //
Principles of the International Phonetic Association, London, 1949. /
Journal of the International Phonetic Association, 1989. /
Wikipedia. Die Liste der IPA-Zeichen & History of the International Phonetic Alphabet. /
Handbook of the International Phonetic Association: A Guide to the Use of the International Phonetic Alphabet. /
Pullum, Geoffrey and William A. Ladusaw. Phonetic Symbol Guide. Second edition.

 FrauFriedrich