U+0D41 "ു" Malayalam Vowel Sign U Unicode Character

U+0D41 "ു" Malayalam Vowel Sign U is a combining diacritical mark used in the Malayalam script to represent the vowel sound /u/ following a consonant. When attached below a consonant character, it modifies the inherent vowel of that consonant, changing it from the default 'a' sound to the short 'u' sound. This vowel sign is an essential component of Malayalam orthography, appearing in common words and helping to distinguish meanings that would otherwise be ambiguous. It belongs to the broader set of Malayalam vowel signs that are written as modifiers rather than independent letters, reflecting the abugida nature of the script where consonants carry an inherent vowel.