How to pronounce Hiroshima
Say it like hir-OH-shih-muh. Hiroshima has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Hiroshima. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- hir
- OH
- shih
- muh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Hiroshima pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- hirGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- OHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- shihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Hiroshima
American and British speakers say Hiroshima in essentially the same way: /ˌhɪˈroʊʃɪmə/ in the US and /hɪəˈrɒʃɪmə/ in the UK.
British respelling: heer-ROSH-ih-muh.
Other ways to say Hiroshima
Hiroshima also has this pronunciation, usually with a different meaning or use:
- hir-oh-SHEE-muh /ˌhɪroʊˈʃimə/
What does Hiroshima mean?
- The capital city of Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan; the target of the first atomic bomb dropped in warfare on August 6, 1945.
Questions about saying Hiroshima
How do you pronounce Hiroshima?
Say hir-OH-shih-muh. The American pronunciation is /ˌhɪˈroʊʃɪmə/. In British English it is /hɪəˈrɒʃɪmə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Hiroshima?
Hiroshima has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (OH). Broken into parts: hir · OH · shih · muh.
Do Americans and Brits say Hiroshima the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌhɪˈroʊʃɪmə/ and the British form is /hɪəˈrɒʃɪmə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.