How to pronounce child
Say it like CHYLD. Child is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce child. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- CHYLD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Child pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- CHYLDSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of child
American and British speakers say child in essentially the same way: /tʃaɪld/ in the US and /tʃaɪld/ in the UK.
British respelling: CHYLD.
What does child mean?
- a young person of either sex“she writes books for children”“they're just kids”
- a human offspring (son or daughter) of any age“they had three children”“they were able to send their kids to college”
- an immature childish person“he remained a child in practical matters as long as he lived”“stop being a baby!”
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with child
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of child.
Questions about saying child
How do you pronounce child?
Say CHYLD. The American pronunciation is /tʃaɪld/. In British English it is /tʃaɪld/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in child?
Child is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: CHYLD.
Do Americans and Brits say child the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /tʃaɪld/ and the British form is /tʃaɪld/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.