How to pronounce shanghai
Say it like SHANG-hy. Shanghai has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHANG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shanghai. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHANG
- hy
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shanghai pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHANGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- hyGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in time.
American vs British pronunciation of shanghai
- The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2.
British respelling: shang-HY.
What does shanghai mean?
- the largest city of China; located in the east on the Pacific; one of the largest ports in the world
- take (someone) against his will for compulsory service, especially on board a ship“The men were shanghaied after being drugged”
Where does shanghai come from?
1871, from the important Chinese port Shanghai, as a verb with reference to the former practice by some shippers on the West Coast of the United States of press-ganging crews for fishing or shipping in the Pacific Ocean.
Questions about saying shanghai
How do you pronounce shanghai?
Say SHANG-hy. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃæŋˌhaɪ/. In British English it is /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shanghai?
Shanghai has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHANG). Broken into parts: SHANG · hy.
Is shanghai pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The stress moves: Americans stress syllable 1, while British speakers stress syllable 2. The British form is /ʃæŋˈhaɪ/ (shang-HY).