One syllable: Bulk.
buhlk
/bʌlk/
Bulk is pronounced buhlk (/bʌlk/). It has one syllable (Bulk), with the stress on "Bulk". Bulk refers to a large quantity or mass of something, or the main body or volume of an object. It emphasizes size, bulkiness, or overall bulk in contrast to its other parts. In everyday use, it can describe purchasing in bulk or the bulk of a shipment, highlighting the mass rather than specifics. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words).
nounBulk refers to a large quantity or mass of something, or the main body or volume of an object. It emphasizes size, bulkiness, or overall bulk in contrast to its other parts. In everyday use, it can describe purchasing in bulk or the bulk of a shipment, highlighting the mass rather than specifics. (2-4 sentences, ~60 words)
- You might overly shorten the vowel, turning /ɜː/ into a near-schwa; fix by maintaining a taut mid-central position and keeping the jaw relatively relaxed but not lowered. - The final /k/ can be underarticulated in rapid speech; practice with a clear stop and a short air release. - Some speakers insert a faint /l/ or lapse into /bʌlk/ or /bɜrk/ before the final /k/; keep the simple, clean /bɜːk/ sequence. - In connected speech, avoid letting the vowel glide into the following word; practice linking with minimal pairs and slow-to-fast phrases to preserve the nucleus.
"I buy cereal in bulk to save money."
"The box is heavy because of its bulk and density."
"We built the bulk of the structure with concrete and steel."
Pronounce it as /bɜːk/ in most dialects. The initial /b/ is a quick bilabial stop, the vowel is a long, mid-central to mid-back vowel /ɜː/ (like “bird” without the r-coloring in non-rhotic accents), followed by the final /k/ as a crisp voiceless velar stop. Emphasize a clean stop at the end; avoid letting the vowel drift into a diphthong. IPA reference: US/UK/AU share /bɜːk/ in careful speech.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the /ɜː/ into a schwa; keep a tense, mid-central vowel. 2) Voicing the final /k/ softly or dropping it; ensure a crisp stop with release. 3) Distorting /b/ into a bilabial flap in fast speech; keep a clean stop and avoid a transitional sound before /ɜː/. Practice with minimal pairs to lock in /bɜːk/.
US: often /bʌlk/ with a shorter /ʌ/ for some speakers in casual speech; but careful speech tends toward /bɜːk/. UK: typically /bɜːk/ in non-rhotic accents; AU: usually /bɜːk/ with subtle vowel height variations. The rhotic vs non-rhotic influences are less about /k/ and more about the vowel quality. In fast speech, the /ɜː/ may reduce toward /ə/.
The difficulty centers on maintaining a clear, tense /ɜː/ vowel and ending with a precise /k/ stop in connected speech. The short, abrupt release of the final stop can blur in rapid talk, and some speakers reduce /ɜː/ toward /ə/ or mix with /ʌ/. Also, mixing with nearby words (e.g., ‘bulk of’) can cause blending. Focus on the clean glide from /ɜː/ to /k/ with a short burst.
Yes—'bulk' is one-syllable and lacks any digraphs or silent letters. The critical feature is the /ɜː/ nucleus and end-stop /k/. There’s no stress variation (the word is monosyllabic), but surrounding words can affect the audio focus on /ɜː/. In careful speech you’ll maintain full mouth openness for /ɜː/ and a crisp /k/ release, even in phrases like ‘bulk order.’
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- US: /bɜːk/ with a rhotic-less middle; some regions may have a slightly lowered vowel. Keep /ɜː/ steady, avoid lifting to /iː/. - UK: /bɜːk/ with clearer non-rhoticity; the vowel is more rounded but remains tense. - AU: /bɜːk/ similar to UK, often with slightly broader vowel quality, sometimes a touch more open. All variantes keep the final /k/ crisp. In careful speech, you can use a pure /ɜː/ rather than r-colored /ɜːɹ/ in rhotic accents; in some US dialects, you may hear /bɝːk/ in tense contexts. Reference IPA for each: /bɜːk/.
Bulk comes from the Middle English bolk, derived from Old Norse bolk or bulk, meaning “body” or “mass.” The semantic shift centers on the idea of a large, heavy portion or the considerable size of something, rather than its shape. By the 15th century, bulk began to denote the main mass of a structure or shipment, later broadening to refer to quantities and overall size in commerce and everyday language. In modern usage, bulk emphasizes volume and heaviness more than precise dimensions, and extends into phrases like “in bulk,” meaning in large quantities. The term has cognates in several Germanic languages, reflecting a shared emphasis on mass and body in everyday objects and commerce. First known written uses appear in merchant records and inventories, underscoring practical associations with quantity, heft, and capacity.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Bulk" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Bulk"
-ulk sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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