How to pronounce chicken
Say it like CHIK-un. Chicken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHIK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce chicken. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHIK
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Chicken pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHIKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of chicken
American and British speakers say chicken in essentially the same way: /ˈtʃɪkən/ in the US and /ˈtʃɪkən/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHIK-un.
What does chicken mean?
- the flesh of a chicken used for food
- a domestic fowl bred for flesh or eggs; believed to have been developed from the red jungle fowl
- a person who lacks confidence, is irresolute and wishy-washy
- easily frightened
Words that rhyme with chicken
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of chicken.
Questions about saying chicken
How do you pronounce chicken?
Say CHIK-un. The American pronunciation is /ˈtʃɪkən/. In British English it is /ˈtʃɪkən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in chicken?
Chicken has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (CHIK). Broken into parts: CHIK · un.
Do Americans and Brits say chicken the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈtʃɪkən/ and the British form is /ˈtʃɪkən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.