4d • General discussion
Tricky Pronunciation
The word row in English is tricky because it has three common meanings—two of them are pronounced one way, and one of them is pronounced differently. Let’s break it down clearly for your students:
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1. Row = a line of things or people
• Meaning: A horizontal line of objects or people placed next to each other.
• Example: “The students sat in a row.” / “There is a row of houses on this street.”
• Pronunciation: /roʊ/ (rhymes with go or snow).
• Chinese: 一排 (yī pái)
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2. Row = to move a boat using oars
• Meaning: The action of using long sticks (oars) to push a boat forward on water.
• Example: “They rowed across the lake.”
• Pronunciation: /roʊ/ (same as the first one).
• Chinese: 划船 (huá chuán)
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3. Row = a noisy argument or fight
• Meaning: A disagreement, often loud or angry.
• Example: “They had a big row about money.”
• Pronunciation: /raʊ/ (rhymes with cow or now).
• Chinese: 吵架 (chǎo jià)
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✅ Key Tip for Students:
• Row (line) = /roʊ/
• Row (to row a boat) = /roʊ/
• Row (fight) = /raʊ/
So, two are pronounced the same, and one (the fight/argument) is different.
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Tricky Pronunciation
