How to pronounce Malaysian
Say it like muh-LAY-zhun. Malaysian has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Malaysian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- muh
- LAY
- zhun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Malaysian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- muhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- LAYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- zhunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Malaysian
American and British speakers say Malaysian in essentially the same way: /məˈleɪʒən/ in the US and /məˈleɪʒən/ in the UK.
British respelling: muh-LAY-zhun.
What does Malaysian mean?
- a native or inhabitant of Malaysia
- the Malay language spoken in Malaysia
- of or relating to or characteristic of Malaysia“Malaysian police crack down hard on drug smugglers”“Malayan crocodiles”
Words that rhyme with Malaysian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Malaysian.
Questions about saying Malaysian
How do you pronounce Malaysian?
Say muh-LAY-zhun. The American pronunciation is /məˈleɪʒən/. In British English it is /məˈleɪʒən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Malaysian?
Malaysian has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (LAY). Broken into parts: muh · LAY · zhun.
Do Americans and Brits say Malaysian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /məˈleɪʒən/ and the British form is /məˈleɪʒən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.