One syllable: cheeks.
cheeks
/tʃiks/
cheeks is pronounced cheeks (/tʃiks/). It has one syllable (cheeks), with the stress on "cheeks". Cheeks refers to the fleshy parts of the face that border the nose and mouth. In anatomy, the term typically denotes the lateral portions of the face, though in common speech it often means the fleshy area around the cheeks. The word functions as a plural noun when describing both sides of the face, and can be used in contexts ranging from anatomy to cosmetic description or expressions of emotion.
Cheeks refers to the fleshy parts of the face that border the nose and mouth. In anatomy, the term typically denotes the lateral portions of the face, though in common speech it often means the fleshy area around the cheeks. The word functions as a plural noun when describing both sides of the face, and can be used in contexts ranging from anatomy to cosmetic description or expressions of emotion.
- You may flatten the vowel to a short /ɪ/ as in 'chips' instead of the long /iː/ in /tʃiːks/. Tip: keep your tongue high and tense for /iː/. - Some learners release the /k/ and immediately voice the /s/, turning into a faint /z/; keep the /s/ voiceless and crisp. Tip: practice with /t͡ʃiːk s/ with a pause between /k/ and /s/ or use a small explosive burst for the /k/ before the /s/. - Finally, some pronounce /t͡ʃ/ too softly and blend into /iː/ too quickly, giving /t͡ʃɪ/ or /t͡ʃizi/. Tip: emphasize the onset and hold the vowel before releasing into /ks/.
"Her cheeks flushed pink when she blushed."
"The dentist examined her cheeks for any swelling."
"In the mirror, she smoothed the makeup onto her cheeks."
Pronounce as /tʃiːks/. The initial sound is the voiceless postalveolar affricate /t͡ʃ/ (like “ch” in chair). The following long “ee” is /iː/, with the vowel held longer. The final /ks/ is a voiceless cluster, formed by the /k/ sound immediately followed by /s/. Primary stress is on the single syllable: CHEEKS. Tip: keep the tongue high and front for /t͡ʃ/ and stretch the /iː/ slightly before releasing into /ks/.
Common errors include shortening the /iː/ to a short /ɪ/ (saying /tʃɪks/) and delaying the /k/ release, turning it into /t͡ɕs/ or a hyphenated /tʃiː-k/-like split. Another pitfall is voicing the final /s/ too loudly or as a /z/. To correct: keep the vowel long /iː/ before the /ks/ cluster, release the /k/ cleanly, and maintain unvoiced /s/. Practice with the minimal pair /tʃiːks/ vs /tʃɪks/ and map each sound to precise mouth positions.
In US, UK, and AU, the word remains with the /t͡ʃ/ onset and /iː/ vowel; the main variation is the quality of the following /ks/ cluster and the r-coloredness of surrounding vowels. US general rhotic tendencies don’t impact /t͡ʃ/ or /iː/, but some regional speakers may shorten or stretch vowels. The /s/ remains voiceless; very slight differences in vowel length before /ks/ can occur, with some Australian speakers showing a marginally tenser /iː/ before the cluster.
The difficulty comes from the smooth transition between the long /iː/ vowel and the /ks/ cluster, which demands precise timing and a clean, unvoiced release. The /t͡ʃ/ onset requires a careful tongue position against the alveolar ridge to avoid a more alveolar /tj/ or /ʃ/ flavor. Ensuring the final /ks/ isn’t coalesced into /t͡ʃiːks/ with a following z-like sound, and keeping the entire word voiceless, can be tricky for non-native speakers.
A unique point is the clean, single-syllable pronunciation with a pronounced dip between /iː/ and /ks/. Unlike words with final -s that may be voiced in some contexts, cheeks uses a clear voiceless /s/. You should also note that the plural form does not shift stress; the word remains trochaic in single-syllable form, so your articulation should be tight and sustained for the entire syllable.
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- US: Rely on a clear, un-rhotic vowel. Pronounce /t͡ʃ/ with the blade of the tongue hitting the alveolar ridge; keep /iː/ steady and long before the /k/ release. - UK: Slightly tensed /iː/ before /k/, with less vowel length variation; ensure lip rounding remains neutral. - AU: Similar to UK with a touch more openness in the vowels; might exhibit a marginally shorter /iː/ duration before /ks/ in rapid speech. Use IPA references: /t͡ʃiːks/ across accents; note that final /s/ remains voiceless. Practical cue: place your tongue for /t͡ʃ/, hold the /iː/, then crack the /k/ and release into /s/ without voice.
The word cheek comes from Old English cece, linked to Proto-Germanic *khukkijaz and Proto-Indo-European roots related to the side of the face and the flesh. The plural form cheeks emerged in Middle English with the regular pluralization of nouns ending in -eek, and the -s suffix to denote more than one. Historically, cheek referred broadly to the side of the face or the fleshy prominence, gradually narrowing in modern usage to the two paired lateral areas of the face. First known written uses appear in Middle English medical and anatomical texts, where “cheek” described the soft tissue lateral to the mouth, with “cheeks” by the 14th–15th centuries expanding to denote both sides. Over time, “cheek” also took on figurative senses (cheekiness, impudence) in English, although those senses are etymologically related to expression rather than anatomy. The anatomical sense remains the primary modern usage, while colloquial phrases like “full cheeks” or “rosy cheeks” reflect the adjective-noun combination that’s common today.
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Help others use "cheeks" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "cheeks" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "cheeks" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "cheeks"
-eks sounds
-aks sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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