This kana represents the sound 'yo'. It is frequently used in vocabulary and can also appear in combination with other kana to form contracted sounds when written as small 『ょ』. For example: 『きょ』 (kyo) in 『きょう』 (kyō, 'today'). As a standalone character, it functions normally in words and can be used as a grammatical particle to mark a direct object in casual speech, though this is less common for beginners.