嗷 (áo) is an onomatopoeic character that represents the sound of loud wailing, howling, or crying. It is often reduplicated as 嗷嗷 (áo áo) in phrases like 嗷嗷待哺 ('cry piteously for food') or to describe the howling of wolves. On its own, it can be placed before 的一声 to depict a sudden burst of wailing noise.