How to pronounce koan
Say it like KOH-ahn. Koan has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOH).
VoiceSpeed
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce koan. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
US American/ˈkoʊɑn/KOH-ahn
UK British/ˈkəʊɑːn/KOH-ahn
- KOH
- ahn
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Koan pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KOHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- ahnKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of koan
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: KOH-ahn.
What does koan mean?
noun
- A story about a Zen master and his student, sometimes like a riddle, other times like a fable or parable, which has become an object of Zen study, and which, when meditated upon, may unlock mechanisms in the Zen student’s mind leading to satori.
- A riddle with no solution, used to provoke reflection on the inadequacy of logical reasoning, and to lead to enlightenment.
- A therapy technique used by Traditional Chinese medicinal physicians or medical practitioners to break a presenting patients habitual pattern of thinking that has been diagnosed as the primary cause of an illness or disease.
Questions about saying koan
How do you pronounce koan?
Say KOH-ahn. The American pronunciation is /ˈkoʊɑn/. In British English it is /ˈkəʊɑːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in koan?
Koan has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (KOH). Broken into parts: KOH · ahn.
Is koan pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh". The British form is /ˈkəʊɑːn/ (KOH-ahn).