All words ›Xi'an
CityHow to pronounce “Xi'an”
西安xī ān
Literally: western peace.
❌ What English speakers usually say
“zhian” or “shan”, squashed into one syllable
✅ What to say instead
shee-AHN — two syllables. That apostrophe exists precisely to stop you merging them.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 西 xī | First tone — high and flat | xi — open drill → |
| 安 ān | First tone — high and flat | an — open drill → |
Questions people ask
How do you pronounce Xi'an?
Xi'an is 西安, xī ān — shee-AHN — two syllables. That apostrophe exists precisely to stop you merging them.. Literally it means western peace.
What is the most common mistake with Xi'an?
“zhian” or “shan”, squashed into one syllable
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.