Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hard c

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.12 in modern English

Syllables: hard c
IPA

11

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The "c" sound pronounced /k/, as in "cat" and "cabin", as distinct from the soft c, pronounced /s/, in "cent", "center/centre" and "circuit".

Inflected Forms

hard c's (plural)

Phrases

hard g soft g

Frequently Paired Words

hard g soft g

Questions

What does hard c mean?: The "c" sound pronounced /k/, as in "cat" and "cabin", as distinct from the soft c, pronounced /s/, in "cent", "center/centre" and "circuit".

How to pronounce hard c

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hard c”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “hard c”.
Repeat and practice — Say “hard c” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.