Which sound does the symbol "ʃ" represent?

The symbol "ʃ" in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents the voiceless postalveolar fricative sound, commonly heard in English words like "sh" in "shoe" or "sh" in "ship." This sound is characterized by the positioning of the tongue toward the roof of the mouth, just behind the alveolar ridge, allowing air to flow out in a turbulent manner, which produces the "sh" sound.

When looking at the examples of the other symbols, "ʒ" corresponds to the voiced postalveolar fricative, found in words like "garage." The "θ" symbol denotes a voiceless dental fricative, as in "th" in "three," while the "ð" symbol represents the voiced dental fricative found in "th" in "feather." None of these sound representations align with the "ʃ" symbol. Thus, identifying the "ʃ" symbol as representing the "sh" sound clarifies its correct association in the context of phonetic transcription.