All words ›Shenzhen
CityHow to pronounce “Shenzhen”
深圳shēn zhèn
Literally: deep drains — it was farmland sixty years ago.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“shen-ZEN”, as if the second half were the Japanese word
✅ What to say instead
shun-JUN — both halves start with a curled-back tongue, and the second falls sharply
The shape of the word
Tap any syllable to hear it. The curve above each one is the tone you are aiming for.
Syllable by syllable
| Syllable | Tone | Practise it |
|---|---|---|
| 深 shēn | First tone — high and flat | shen — open drill → |
| 圳 zhèn | Fourth tone — sharp fall | zhen — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Shenzhen?
Shenzhen is 深圳, shēn zhèn — shun-JUN — both halves start with a curled-back tongue, and the second falls sharply. Literally it means deep drains — it was farmland sixty years ago.
What is the most common mistake with Shenzhen?
“shen-ZEN”, as if the second half were the Japanese word
More words people mispronounce
Can you actually say it?
Reading a respelling is not the same as producing the tones. The free 2-minute check listens to you and shows which syllables land wrong.