2 syllables: cher, ry. Stress on cher.
CHER-ee
/ˈtʃɛɹi/
cherry is pronounced CHER-ee (/ˈtʃɛɹi/). It has two syllables (cher-ry), with the stress on "cher". Cherry is a two-syllable noun or adjective referring to the small, round fruit with a red or dark hue, or to a cherry tree. It can also denote a flavor, color, or variety of something (e.g., cherry lipstick). In everyday use, it often functions as a concrete noun and appears in phrases like “cherry pie” or as a color descriptor. The term emphasizes sweetness and vivid fruit imagery.
Cherry is a two-syllable noun or adjective referring to the small, round fruit with a red or dark hue, or to a cherry tree. It can also denote a flavor, color, or variety of something (e.g., cherry lipstick). In everyday use, it often functions as a concrete noun and appears in phrases like “cherry pie” or as a color descriptor. The term emphasizes sweetness and vivid fruit imagery.
- Commonly mispronouncing the first syllable as /tʃeɪ/ or blending into /tʃɛr/ without a clear /i/; fix by holding a crisp /i/ at the end of the second syllable. - Dropping or softening the final /r/ in rhotic accents can blur syllable boundaries; practice with and without rhoticity to feel the difference. - Vowel reduction: avoid turning /ɛ/ into a near-schwa; keep a distinct /ɛ/ vowel through the first syllable to preserve the recognizable 'cheh' sound. - Lip tension: avoid rounding too much the lips on /ˈtʃ/; keep a relaxed jaw as you transition to /ɛ/ for clarity. - Speed trap: in fast speech, the sequence /tʃ/ + /ɛ/ + /r/ + /i/ can fuse; practice with slow, then medium, then quick tempo to maintain clarity.
"I saved the recipe for cherry pie because I love its tart-sweet balance."
"She wore a cherry scarf that brightened her outfit."
"The cherry on top completed the dessert perfectly."
Pronounce as two syllables: CHER‑ee. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈtʃɛr.i/ for all. Stress on the first syllable. Start with a voiced postalveolar affricate /tʃ/ (as in chair), followed by /ɛ/ (as in bed), then a rhotic /r/ in rhotic varieties, and end with a high front vowel /i/ (as in see). In rapid speech, the /r/ can be softened in non-rhotic accents; the first syllable remains stressed and recognizable.
Common errors include misplacing the /tʃ/ blend, pronouncing as /ˈtʃaɹi/ with an incorrect vowel, or dropping the final /i/ making it sound like 'cherr.' Correction: keep the /ɛ/ vowel in the first syllable, add a short but clear /r/ before the final /i/ in rhotic accents, and ensure the /i/ is a crisp, near-close front vowel rather than a schwa. Practice with minimal pairs to isolate the /ɛ/ vs /e/ and ensure the final /i/ is not reduced.
In US rhotic speech, you hear /ˈtʃɛr.i/ with clear /r/ in the first syllable. UK non-rhotic variants may realize /ˈtʃe.ri/ with a weaker or non-pronounced /r/ and possibly a reduced second syllable vowel. Australian speech is rhotic but may feature a slightly five-cent vowel in /ɛ/ and a more centralized /ɪ/ in unstressed final syllables. Core difference centers on rhoticity and vowel quality of /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/ in some dialects.
The challenge lies in the short, lax /ɛ/ in the first syllable combined with the /r/ sound before a high front vowel /i/. For non-rhotic speakers, the /r/ tends to weaken, which can blur the syllable boundary and make the word sound like ‘che-ry’ or ‘cherry’ with reduced r-coloring. The transition from /tʃ/ to /ɛ/ and then to /r/ creates a rapid consonant-vowel sequence that can be tricky for non-native speakers, especially when the tongue needs to crest for /r/ while keeping /i/ distinct.
Yes— the /ɛ/ vowel in the first syllable is short and lax, and the second syllable ends with a pure /i/ rather than a diphthong. The /tʃ/ onset is a palatal affricate that needs a quick release into /ɛ/ without lip rounding overshoot. This combination, especially with an optional /r/ in rhotic accents, can produce subtle differences in American, British, and Australian speech, making it a good focus for precise mouth positioning and timing.
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- US: emphasize rhotic /r/; ensure a firm tongue arch for the initial /tʃ/ and a relatively tense /ɛ/; the final /i/ should be a close front vowel, not a schwa. - UK: sometimes weaker /r/; maintain a crisp /tʃ/ and a bright /i/; you may hear a slightly tensed /ˈtʃɛ.ri/ with a non-rhotic ending. - AU: rhotic and tends toward a centralized /ɛ/; keep the vowel distinct but not overly broad; end with clear /i/. - IPA references: /ˈtʃɛr.i/; ensure the vowel height sits around mid-low for /ɛ/ and the final vowel near-close front.
Cherry traces to the Old Northern French cerise, from cerise, via the late Latin cerasus, and ultimately from the Greek keráか (kera) meaning fruit, with a specific connection to the cherry tree. The sense of the edible fruit dates to the Medieval period in English, spreading from culinary contexts into horticultural and decorative usage (e.g., cherry wood, cherry blossoms). The term evolved to encompass varieties and colors (red, dark) and extended into metaphorical phrases like “cherry-picked” in the 19th century. First known English attestations occur in early Middle English texts, with strong roots in European trade and cultivation of the Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus species. Over centuries, cherry has become a near-universal symbol of sweetness, summer, and beauty, reflected in literature and commerce alike.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cherry" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "cherry" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "cherry"
-rry sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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