What is the symbol used to indicate short vowel sounds?

There isn't a single, universal symbol used to indicate short vowel sounds.

Here's why:

* Different systems: There are multiple phonetic systems (e.g., IPA, Merriam-Webster dictionary) that use slightly different symbols.

* Context matters: The symbol used for a short vowel sound can vary depending on the specific vowel and the context of the word.

Examples:

* IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet): IPA uses different symbols for each short vowel sound (e.g., /ɪ/ for the short "i" sound in "bit," /ɛ/ for the short "e" sound in "bet," /æ/ for the short "a" sound in "bat," /ʌ/ for the short "u" sound in "but," and /ɒ/ for the short "o" sound in "cot").

* Merriam-Webster dictionary: Merriam-Webster uses a combination of symbols and diacritics to indicate vowel sounds. For short vowels, they often use the letter itself with a breve over it (e.g., ĭ, ě, ă, ŭ, ŏ).

To understand how a short vowel is represented in a particular system, you'll need to refer to the specific guide or dictionary that is being used.