How to pronounce chary
Say it like CHAR-ee. Chary has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHAR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce chary. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHAR
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chary pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHARSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of chary
American and British speakers say chary in essentially the same way: /ˈtʃɑri/ in the US and /ˈtʃɛəri/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHAIR-ree.
What does chary mean?
- Careful, cautious, shy, wary.
- Excessively particular or fussy about details; fastidious.
- Not disposed to give freely; not lavish; frugal, sparing.
- Synonym of charily: carefully, cautiously, warily.
Where does chary come from?
The English word is cognate with Danish karrig (“miserly, stingy”), Dutch karig (“austere, scant, sparing”), Norwegian karrig (“barren; meager; poor”), Old High German charag, karag (“sparing”) (modern German karg (“barren; meager, poor”)),
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with chary
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chary.
Questions about saying chary
How do you pronounce chary?
Say CHAR-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɑri/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɛəri/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chary?
Chary has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHAR). Broken into parts: CHAR · ee.
Do Americans and Brits say chary the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtʃɑri/ and the British form is /ˈtʃɛəri/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.