ZH Sound in English: How to Pronounce /ʒ/ + 30 Common ZH Words
Have you noticed the sound in English words like vision, decision, usually, and measure?
That sound is the ZH sound: /ʒ/.
The ZH sound is actually one of the least common consonant sounds in English — but don’t ignore it!
Many words with the ZH sound are extremely common in everyday conversation. If this sound changes, words can become unclear or even sound like completely different words.
In this lesson, you’ll learn:
✓ How to pronounce the ZH /ʒ/ sound in English
✓ How ZH is different from SH /ʃ/, J /dʒ/, and S /s/
✓ How to practice 30 common words with the ZH sound
Inside Clear English Academy, we always start by training your ears to notice the difference between sounds. When you can hear the difference, it becomes much easier to train your mouth to make the difference.
How to Pronounce the ZH /ʒ/ Sound in English
The ZH sound is a voiced continuant consonant.
That means two important things happen:
- Your voice turns on.
- Your airflow continues.
To make the ZH sound:
- Lift the front of your tongue toward the roof of your mouth.
- Leave a small space so air can continue moving.
- Slightly round your lips.
- Turn on your voice.
Try it:
ZH, ZH, ZH
You should feel vibration from your vocal cords as you make this sound.
Common ZH Sound Mistake #1: SH Instead of ZH
One common substitution is using SH /ʃ/ instead of ZH /ʒ/.
The good news?
These two sounds are partner sounds.
Your mouth position stays almost exactly the same.
The difference is your voice.
Try:
SH → ZH
SH is voiceless.
ZH is voiced.
Feel your throat:
SH = no vibration
ZH = vibration
Practice:
vision (not “vishion”)
Asia
usually
Common ZH Sound Mistake #2: J Instead of ZH
Another common substitution is using the J sound /dʒ/.
These sounds are close, but they are not exactly the same.
For J, your tongue briefly touches the roof of your mouth and releases.
For ZH, your tongue stays slightly away from the roof of your mouth so air continues moving.
Compare:
J → ZH
Make sure these words sound different:
virgin
version
Common ZH Sound Mistake #3: S Instead of ZH
Some speakers replace ZH with the S sound.
To move from S to ZH:
Start with:
Sssss
Then:
- Pull your tongue slightly back.
- Round your lips.
- Turn on your voice.
S → SH → ZH
Small adjustments can create a completely different sound.
Practice the ZH Sound
Before practicing words, spend some time making the sound by itself.
Try:
ZH, ZH, ZH
Then add vowel sounds:
zhee
zheh
zhai
zho
zhoo
Once you can make the sound consistently, begin practicing words, phrases, and sentences.
Remember: knowing a sound is just the first step. Building a speaking habit takes repeated practice in real communication.
30 Common English Words with the ZH Sound
Even though ZH is uncommon, these words appear frequently in English.
Practice slowly. Focus on keeping your airflow moving and your voice turned on.
1) decision
We need to make a decision.
Our decision is final.
2) television
He watches way too much television.
You can’t trust everything you see on television.
3) measure
We use this spreadsheet to measure progress.
For good measure we made a little extra.
4) version
Is this the latest version?
He tells a different version of events.
5) vision
My vision is horrible.
I have a vision of how we can make this work.
6) conclusion
In conclusion…
Let’s not jump to conclusions.
7) division
She works in a different division.
That seems like a fair division of duties.
8) pleasure
It’s been a pleasure to meet you.
My pleasure.
9) unusual
These are unusual circumstances.
That’s unusual.
10) visual
I’m a visual learner.
Let’s create a visual to make this more clear.
11) exposure
Too much exposure to the sun is bad for your skin.
Exposure to lead can be harmful.
12) occasion
What’s the occasion?
I only see him occasionally.
13) usual
As usual, he’s running a bit behind.
Let’s meet at the usual spot.
14) provision
The provision of quality child care can be a challenge.
He’s made no provision for his retirement.
15) explosion
There was a sudden explosion of interest.
Thirty people were injured in the explosion.
16) invasion
It’s an invasion of privacy.
It’s a full scale military invasion.
17) confusion
There was a lot of confusion after the announcement.
Sorry for the confusion.
18) casual
It’s a very casual atmosphere.
She has a really casual attitude about it.
19) treasure
Knowledge is treasure.
I’ll treasure this moment forever.
20) illusion
She’s under the illusion that she already has the job.
Mirrors can give the illusion of more space.
21) envision
What do you envision for the future?
How do you envision this working?
22) conversion
The office is undergoing a complete conversion.
What’s the current conversion rate?
23) massage
Can you massage my back?
She went for a massage.
24) closure
I need to get some closure on this.
You can check the website for updates on school closures.
25) aversion
She’s finally overcome her aversion to water.
I have an aversion to Brussels sprouts.
26) leisure
I don’t have a lot of leisure time.
Just get to it in your leisure.
27) collision
It was a head-on collision.
The collision occurred near the hospital.
28) seizure
He suffers from seizures.
These assets are exempt from seizure.
29) composure
You really kept your composure.
He completely lost his composure.
30) supervision
They need constant supervision.
Responsibilities include staff supervision.
Keep Practicing Your English Pronunciation
Learning one sound is helpful, but clear communication happens when you understand how sounds connect and practice using them naturally.
That’s exactly what we do inside Clear English Academy.
You’ll learn how English sounds work, train your ears to notice important differences, and practice step by step until these patterns become more automatic in your everyday speech.
