2 syllables: na, oh. Stress on na.
NA-oh
/ˈnæoʊ/
naoh is pronounced NA-oh (/ˈnæoʊ/). It has two syllables (na-oh), with the stress on "na". NaOH is the chemical formula for sodium hydroxide, a strong base used in industry and laboratories. It denotes a compound of sodium (Na) and hydroxide (OH) that forms a highly caustic alkali. In practice, you’ll often hear people refer to it as sodium hydroxide rather than spelling out the formula, especially in technical settings.
NaOH is the chemical formula for sodium hydroxide, a strong base used in industry and laboratories. It denotes a compound of sodium (Na) and hydroxide (OH) that forms a highly caustic alkali. In practice, you’ll often hear people refer to it as sodium hydroxide rather than spelling out the formula, especially in technical settings.
"The pH of the solution rose after the NaOH was added."
"NaOH is a common reagent in soap-making and chemical manufacturing."
"Handle NaOH with care because it can cause severe chemical burns."
You pronounce NaOH as two syllables for the first part and the final letter: /ˌneɪˈɒeɪtʃ/ (UK) or /ˌneɪˈoʊeɪtʃ/ (US) depending on whether you treat the OH as a single unit. Emphasize the second syllable and a clear /tʃ/ at the end. In practice, say “nay-OH-aych” with a light pause between na and OH- but keep it fluid; the full form is “nay-OH-aych, sodium hydroxide.” Consider the variant /ˌneɪˈoʊ.eɪtʃ/ in US technical speech for smoother syllable transitions.
Common errors include treating the OH as two separate letters without tying them into a single /oʊ/ diphthong (say /ˈeɪtʃ/ instead of /eɪtʃ/). Another mistake is misplacing the stress, often giving equal weight to na and OH; the standard tends to put primary stress on the second syllable: /ˌneɪˈoʊ.eɪtʃ/. Also, travelers sometimes produce a hard /g/ or omit the /tʃ/ final. Correct by ensuring a clear /tʃ/ sound and a final non-syllabic breath or light release to complete the word.
In US English you’ll hear /ˌneɪˈoʊ.eɪtʃ/, with a rhotic speaker not adding a pronounced /r/. In UK English you may get /ˌneɪˈəʊ.eɪtʃ/ with a more centralized /əʊ/ in the second syllable and a slightly less rhotic influence. Australian tends to be /ˌneɪˈoʊ.eɪtʃ/ or /ˌneɪˈɒeɪtʃ/ with a broad /ɒ/ quality in the second syllable and a softer /tʃ/. Across accents, the essential vowel qualities drift: US favors /oʊ/ , UK /əʊ/ and AU varries but often aligns with /oʊ/ or /əʊ/. Rhythm remains iambic-ish, with primary stress on the second syllable.
The difficulty comes from the sequence of two vowels in quick succession and the final /tʃ/. Mastering the diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK) before the /eɪ/ and the /tʃ/ cluster requires precise tongue and lip shaping. Beginners often flatten the vowel into a monophthong, producing /neɪoʊɛtʃ/ or misplacing the stress. The final /tʃ/ needs a light release rather than a hard stop; practice linking the vowels smoothly to the final consonant to avoid choppy syllables.
There are no silent letters in the standard chemical shorthand NaOH. All three elements correspond to distinct sounds: /neɪ/ (Na), /oʊ/ (O), and /eɪtʃ/ (H). The challenge lies in blending these parts into a fluid acronym-like pronunciation rather than articulating each letter in isolation. In practice you’ll often hear the full spoken term with a strong end consonant /tʃ/, not a silent or subdued /h/ sound.
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NaOH derives from chemical nomenclature: Na is the symbol for sodium from New Latin natrium, OH is the hydroxide ion (oxygen with a hydrogen). The compound sodium hydroxide crystallizes from sodium oxide or sodium salts in water, forming a strong alkali. Historically, the term “lye” referred to various alkaline caustics; the modern systematic name is sodium hydroxide. First known uses date back to the 18th century with advances in chemical caustics and industrial alkali production. In early chemistry, caustic alkalis were produced via Leblanc and later electrochemical processes, and the compound became central to soap production, paper processing, and chemical synthesis. In contemporary practice, NaOH is described by its formula in labs and industry, with attention to safety and concentration (e.g., 1 M to 50% solutions). The word “sodium” itself comes from the element’s Latin name natrium, adopted into chemistry through 19th-century standardization, while “hydroxide” traces to water (hydro) and the ionic oxide (oxide). The acronym NaOH thus encodes a compound with a long-standing role in both fundamental chemistry and industrial applications.
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Words that rhyme with "naoh"
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