How to pronounce gong
Say it like GAWNG. Gong 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 gong. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- GAWNG
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Gong pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- GAWNGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of gong
American and British speakers say gong in essentially the same way: /ɡɔŋ/ in the US and /ɡɒŋ/ in the UK.
British respelling: GONG.
What does gong mean?
- A percussion instrument consisting of a metal disk that emits a loud resonant sound when struck with a soft hammer.
- A medal or award, particularly Knight Bachelor.
- A metal target that emits a sound when it has been hit.
- A kind of cultivation energy, more powerful than qi.
- An advanced practice that cultivates such energy.
- To make the sound of a gong; to ring a gong.
- To halt (originally, a contestant in a talent show; later, a performer, a speaker).
- To warn.“The driver gonged the pedestrian crossing the tracks, but the pedestrian didn't stop.”
Where does gong come from?
Borrowed from Malay gong (possibly onomatopoeic).
Words that rhyme with gong
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of gong.
Questions about saying gong
How do you pronounce gong?
Say GAWNG. The American pronunciation is /ɡɔŋ/. In British English it is /ɡɒŋ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in gong?
Gong is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: GAWNG.
Do Americans and Brits say gong the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ɡɔŋ/ and the British form is /ɡɒŋ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.