The spelling of the word "NUF" may appear confusing at first glance, but phonetically, it is quite simple. The word is pronounced as /nʌf/, with the vowel sound being represented by the letter "U." In phonetics, the symbol ʌ represents the "short u" sound, produced by a low-mid tongue position. This is the same sound found in words like "under" and "hug." So, the correct spelling of "NUF" can be explained as the letter "N" followed by the phonetic symbol ʌ, representing the short u sound.