meet the alphabet - letters and vowels u and uu

the short sound is 'u' and sounds like 'u' of put. (उ)
the fifth letter and vowel of sanskrit.
it is said for 1 unit of time. the longer vowel, or diirgha is said for 2 units of sounds (represented in ITRANS as oo, uu, or U

 

meaning of 'u'

• shiva. the second sound of om a+u+m
• used as a filler word in verse
• exclamatory word expressing - calling someone; anger; order; approval; question
• also used typically with atha, na, kim to make atho, no, kimu. 'ek-ekam-api-anarthAya, kimu yatra chatuShTayam' (see earlier post)

how to write 'u'?

 

some common words starting with 'u' are -

• ukta (adj) = उक्त = spoken word, that which is said.
• ukti = उक्ति = saying
• ugra (adj) = उग्र = violent, scary, cruel. (n) shiva
• uchita = उचित = appropriate, worthy
• utkaNTha (adj) = उत्कण्ठा = (one with out-stretched neck) eager, ready to do
  
• uttara = उत्तर = north; better (uttam = best); of later; left (opposite of dakShiNa)
• uttaram = उत्तरम् = answer
• udAharaNa = उदाहरण = example
• upadesha = उपदेश = advice, direction, mentoring

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the sixth letter and vowel of sanskrit alphabet, and is spoken for two units of time, compared to 'u'.
the long vowel 'U' is written very much like the short vowel, except for a curl at the side.

  

how to write the letter 'U'?

 

some common words starting with 'U' are -

• UDha = ऊढ = married; pra+UDha = prauDha = matured man (-aa , woman)
• Una = ऊन = less; one less, as in 1 less than 20 (ekonavishanti, ek-Una-vinshati), 30 (ekontrinshati, ek-Una-trinshati), and in hindi unnees, unnatees, unchaalees etc
• UrUH = ऊरूः = thigh
• UrjA = ऊर्जा = food, energy
• UrNam = ऊर्णम्= wool; UrNanAbha = spider (as if making wool from navel)
• Uha = ऊह = to conjecture, guess, to understand, to put forward a point (as in for a topic)
• UhApoha = ऊहापोह = remove conjectures, consider both sides of the debate and find the right answers, to remove dilemma thus.

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