Hey there! I’m Emma, your American Accent Coach—and today we’re diving deep into one of the rarest (and trickiest!) sounds in American English: the /zh/ sound, IPA Symbol /ʒ/
If that little symbol /ʒ/ looks unfamiliar, don’t worry. You already know the sound. You’ve heard it in words like vision, measure, decision, and usual. It’s soft, smooth, and… elusive. Most English learners don’t notice it until they try to pronounce it—and suddenly realize, “Wait, how do I actually make zh sound?”
Well, that’s what this guide is for. We’re going to unpack the /zh/ sound from every angle:
✅ What it is and how it works
✅ How to pronounce it clearly and naturally
✅ Where it shows up in English (spoiler: not many places, but very important ones)
✅ What makes it different from similar sounds like /ʃ/ or /dʒ/
✅ How to master it step-by-step—even in fast, connected speech
Let’s get started.
Phonetically, /zh/ is called a voiced postalveolar fricative. Let’s break that down:
Voiced = your vocal cords vibrate when you say it
Postalveolar = your tongue is placed just behind the ridge behind your upper front teeth
Fricative = air flows through a narrow channel, creating a soft, hissing-like sound
Now compare it to /ʃ/—the “sh” sound in ship. They’re twins! The only difference? Voicing. /ʃ/ is voiceless (no vibration), while /ʒ/ is voiced (you feel a buzz in your throat).
This is why /zh/ is often nicknamed the “voiced SH” sound.
Try this:
Say “shhhhh…” (like you’re shushing someone).
Now do it again, but this time add voice: “zhhhhhh.”
That’s /ʒ/.
Fun fact: /ʒ/ is the least common consonant in American English. It shows up in fewer than 0.1% of all English words.
But here’s the twist—when it does appear, it’s usually in high-frequency, everyday words like:
television
decision
measure
usual
pleasure
vision
That means even though it’s rare, you can’t ignore it. Mispronouncing it will make very familiar words sound unclear—or even like different words entirely.
Version vs. Virgin
Leisure vs. Ledger
Measure vs. Mesher
These are called minimal pairs—word pairs that differ by just one sound. Swapping /ʒ/ for something else can totally change your meaning.
So if your goal is to speak clearly, confidently, and fluently, /ʒ/ is one sound you’ll want to get right.
Let’s build the /ʒ/ sound from scratch.
Start by saying /s/ like in “snake.” Notice where your tongue touches?
Now slide the tip of your tongue backward about 1–1.5 cm along the roof of your mouth. You’ll hit a deeper spot—that’s the postalveolar area. ✅
Gently round your lips like you’re saying “shhh” or blowing a kiss. Not tight—just slightly flared outward.
Push air steadily through the small space between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. You should hear a soft hissing or buzzing.
Here’s the magic part. Add voice. Feel your throat vibrate.
Say: “zhhhhhh.”
You should feel buzzing under your fingers if you gently touch your throat. That’s /ʒ/!
✅ Pro Tip: Record yourself saying “measure,” then listen to a native speaker and compare. Tiny differences matter.
This is the most common error. Learners pronounce vision as “vishen.”
✅Fix it:
Touch your throat. No vibration = /ʃ/
Add vibration = /ʒ/
Try alternating: “shhh” ➡️ “zhhh” ➡️ “shhh” ➡️ “zhhh”
Some students pronounce pleasure like pledger.
✅ Fix it:
/ʒ/ is continuous (no stop): “zhhhhh”
/dʒ/ has a burst at the start: “djuh”
Say both slowly and feel the difference. Think of /ʒ/ like wind blowing, and /dʒ/ like a pop then wind.
Unlike /b/ or /k/, /ʒ/ doesn’t have a standard spelling. That’s why it’s hard to recognize.
But don’t worry—there are patterns:
| Spelling | Examples |
|---|---|
| -sion (after a vowel) | vision, decision, confusion |
| -sure | measure, pleasure, treasure |
| -sual | usual, casual, visual |
| -ge (from French) | garage, beige, prestige |
| g- (from French) | genre |
| z (rare) | azure, seizure |
| x (rare) | luxury |
| t (very rare) | equation |
✨ Pro Tip: Memorize these patterns, not just the words. It’ll help you guess pronunciation correctly when reading.
Let’s compare it to some similar sounds. These often get mixed up!
| Sound | Voicing | Manner | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| /ʒ/ | Voiced | Fricative | vision |
| /ʃ/ | Voiceless | Fricative | mission |
| /dʒ/ | Voiced | Affricate | judge |
| /tʃ/ | Voiceless | Affricate | church |
Try These Minimal Pairs:
measure / mesher
leisure / ledger
version / virgin
rouge / ruche
Practice slowly. Focus on voicing and smoothness.
Guess what? Even if a word doesn’t look like it has /ʒ/, it might sneak in during fast speech!
Here’s how:
“How’s your day?” → /haʊʒər deɪ/
“Is your team ready?” → /ɪʒər tiːm/
Native speakers do this naturally to speak more smoothly.
“Was she late?” → /wʌʒ ʃi/
Even better, this blending shows you’re getting close to native-level fluency. So embrace it!
| Day | Focus | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Isolate the sound | Say “zhhhh” 50 times. Feel the vibration. |
| Tue | Minimal pairs | Practice: leisure/ledger, version/virgin |
| Wed | Common words | Read out loud: vision, pleasure, television |
| Thu | Sentence drills | “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” |
| Fri | Connected speech | Practice: “How’s your friend?” “Where’s your coat?” |
| Sat | Shadowing | Use YouTube or ChatterFox to mimic native speakers |
| Sun | Record & Reflect | Listen back to your speech. Adjust and repeat. |
Be patient. Most learners need several weeks of practice to fully internalize this sound. You’re not behind—this is advanced work!
Short answer: Yes. But not just for clarity.
Saying garage as /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/ vs. /ɡəˈrɑːdʒ/ can signal regional or even social variation.
Using the correct /ʒ/ in genre or beige might sound more polished to some listeners—but “too French” to others.
✅ The point? Know your audience. If your goal is sounding clear and fluent in General American English, aim for the /ʒ/ pronunciation. But understanding variants helps you sound flexible and confident across settings.
Your native language influences how easy /ʒ/ will be for you.
French, Portuguese, Russian: You’ve got this! You already use /ʒ/.
Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Arabic: You may substitute /ʃ/, /dʒ/, or /z/. Focus on voice + smooth airflow.
Japanese speakers: Watch for extra vowels (“beige” → “beige-y”). Practice final /ʒ/ endings.
Chinese speakers: Be careful not to flatten the tongue. English /ʒ/ uses more tongue-tip elevation.
Understanding where you’re starting from makes your path forward clearer.
Mastering the American /ʒ/ sound isn’t just about one sound—it’s about learning to hear, feel, and produce one of the most nuanced consonants in English.
Yes, it’s rare. But it shows up in words we use every day—and getting it right adds a layer of polish to your speech that sets you apart.
You’ve made it through a full masterclass on one tiny (but mighty!) sound. That’s impressive.
Remember:
Keep practicing slowly and consistently.
Use real feedback—mirror, audio, shadowing.
Don’t be afraid to exaggerate at first. Clarity comes before speed.
With time, /ʒ/ will feel as natural as any other sound.
So go ahead—say it with confidence: pleasure, measure, vision.
You’ve got this.
– Emma
Your American Accent Coach
