CH Words: One Combo, Three Sounds
CH is a chameleon in English. It can sound like the hard CH in CHAIR, CHEST, and CHILD (its Germanic pronunciation), the SH-like sound in CHEF, CHALET, and CHAUFFEUR (borrowed from French), or a hard K in CHORUS, CHROME, and CHEMISTRY (from Greek). This three-way split makes CH one of the trickiest letter combos for spellers and one of the most rewarding for crossword solvers. If a clue has a French flavor — cooking, fashion, wine — the answer probably uses the French CH pronunciation. Science or music clue? Think Greek CH-as-K. Everything else defaults to the standard English CH sound.
CH- words are plentiful across every word length. Short plays like CHI (a Greek letter, 8 points in Scrabble) and CHA (tea, valid in SOWPODS) are board-openers, while CHRONICLE, CHANDELIER, and CHARISMATIC fill longer crossword slots. The letter C scores 3 points in Scrabble and H scores 4, so any CH- word starts with 7 points in tile value before you even count the rest. That's solid. If you're working a crossword and see CH_ _ _ _ with a clue about a medieval warrior, CHAMPION fits; if it's about candles, CHANDLER is your word.
Player tip: memorize CHI. It's valid, scores 8 points, and works beautifully in parallel plays next to existing words. Also know that CHURCH, CHUTCH (not valid — careful), and CHINCH all double up the CH sound in one word, which crossword constructors love for their crossing potential. For other digraphs worth studying, see words ending in ING and words starting with S for the SH- family. Browse words ending in C to find words where CH appears in reverse at the end.
FAQ
How do you know which CH pronunciation a word uses?
Origin is your guide. Germanic and Old English words use hard CH (CHEESE, CHAIN, CHURCH). French loans use the SH sound (CHIC, CHARADE, BROCHURE). Greek-origin words use K (CHORD, ARCHITECT, ECHO). When in doubt with a crossword clue, consider the subject matter — food clues often point to French CH, science to Greek. For more Greek-origin words, see words starting with K, which shares that hard-K sound.
Is CHI a valid Scrabble word?
Yes, CHI is valid in both TWL and SOWPODS, scoring 8 points (C=3, H=4, I=1). It refers to the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet. CHI is one of the best three-letter plays for its point value and board flexibility. For other Greek letter words, explore words starting with X — XI is another high-scoring Greek letter play.
What long CH words work well in crosswords?
CHAMELEON (9 letters), CHRONICLE (9), CHANDELIER (10), and CATASTROPHE (11, though it doesn't start with CH) are crossword favorites. CHARISMA, CHOCOLATE, and CHALLENGE appear in easier puzzles. The key is matching the clue's tone to the right CH pronunciation. See words starting with A for words that frequently cross with CH entries in grids.
Three-Letter Words (1)
CHI
Four-Letter Words (25)
CHADCHAICHAMCHAOCHAPCHARCHATCHAWCHAYCHEFCHEWCHEZCHIACHICCHIDCHINCHIPCHISCHITCHONCHOPCHOWCHUBCHUGCHUM
Five-Letter Words (103)
CHADSCHAFECHAFFCHAINCHAIRCHAISCHALKCHAMPCHAMSCHANGCHANTCHAOSCHAPECHAPSCHAPTCHARDCHARECHARKCHARMCHARRCHARSCHARTCHARYCHASECHASMCHATSCHAWSCHAYSCHEAPCHEATCHECKCHEEKCHEEPCHEERCHEFSCHELACHEMOCHERTCHESSCHESTCHETHCHEVYCHEWSCHEWYCHIAOCHIASCHICACHICKCHICOCHICSCHIDECHIEFCHIELCHILDCHILECHILICHILLCHIMBCHIMECHIMPCHINACHINECHINKCHINOCHINSCHIPSCHIRKCHIRMCHIROCHIRPCHIRRCHIRUCHITSCHIVECHIVYCHOCKCHOIRCHOKECHOKYCHOLACHOLOCHOMPCHOOKCHOPSCHORDCHORECHOSECHOTTCHOWSCHUBSCHUCKCHUFACHUFFCHUGSCHUMPCHUMSCHUNKCHURLCHURNCHURR
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Six-Letter Words (207)
CHABUKCHACMACHADARCHADORCHADRICHAETACHAFEDCHAFERCHAFESCHAFFSCHAFFYCHAINECHAINSCHAIRSCHAISECHAKRACHALAHCHALEHCHALETCHALKSCHALKYCHALLACHALLYCHALOTCHAMMYCHAMPSCHAMPYCHANCECHANCYCHANGECHANGSCHANTSCHANTYCHAPELCHAPESCHARASCHARDSCHAREDCHARESCHARGECHARKACHARKSCHARMSCHARROCHARRSCHARRYCHARTSCHASEDCHASERCHASESCHASMSCHASMYCHASSECHASTECHATTYCHAUNTCHAWEDCHAWERCHAZANCHEAPOCHEAPSCHEATSCHEBECCHECKSCHEDERCHEEKSCHEEKYCHEEPSCHEEROCHEERSCHEERYCHEESECHEESYCHEFEDCHEGOECHELAECHELASCHEMICCHEMOSCHEQUECHERRYCHERTSCHERTYCHERUBCHESTSCHESTYCHETAHCHETHSCHEVRECHEWEDCHEWERCHIASMCHIAUSCHICASCHICERCHICHICHICKSCHICLECHICLYCHICOS
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Seven-Letter Words (345)
CHABLISCHABOUKCHABUKSCHACHKACHACMASCHADARSCHADORSCHAEBOLCHAETAECHAETALCHAFERSCHAFFEDCHAFFERCHAFINGCHAGRINCHAINEDCHAINESCHAIREDCHAISESCHAKRASCHALAHSCHALAZACHALCIDCHALEHSCHALETSCHALICECHALKEDCHALLAHCHALLASCHALLIECHALLISCHALLOTCHALONECHALOTHCHALUPACHALUTZCHAMADECHAMBERCHAMFERCHAMISACHAMISECHAMISOCHAMOISCHAMOIXCHAMPACCHAMPAKCHAMPEDCHAMPERCHANCEDCHANCELCHANCERCHANCESCHANCRECHANGEDCHANGERCHANGESCHANNELCHANOYUCHANSONCHANTEDCHANTERCHANTEYCHANTORCHANTRYCHAOSESCHAOTICCHAPATICHAPEAUCHAPELSCHAPLETCHAPMANCHAPMENCHAPPEDCHAPPIECHAPTERCHARADECHARGEDCHARGERCHARGESCHARIERCHARILYCHARINGCHARIOTCHARISMCHARITYCHARKASCHARKEDCHARKHACHARLEYCHARLIECHARMEDCHARMERCHARNELCHARPAICHARPOYCHARQUICHARREDCHARROSCHARTEDCHARTER
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Eight-Letter Words (427)
CHABOUKSCHACHKASCHACONNECHADARIMCHADLESSCHAEBOLSCHAFFERSCHAFFIERCHAFFINGCHAGRINSCHAININGCHAINMANCHAINMENCHAINSAWCHAIRINGCHAIRMANCHAIRMENCHALAZAECHALAZALCHALAZASCHALAZIACHALCIDSCHALDRONCHALICEDCHALICESCHALKIERCHALKINGCHALLAHSCHALLIESCHALLOTHCHALONESCHALUPASCHAMADESCHAMBERSCHAMBRAYCHAMFERSCHAMFRONCHAMISASCHAMISESCHAMISOSCHAMMIEDCHAMMIESCHAMPACACHAMPACSCHAMPAKSCHAMPERSCHAMPINGCHAMPIONCHANCELSCHANCERSCHANCERYCHANCIERCHANCILYCHANCINGCHANCRESCHANDLERCHANFRONCHANGERSCHANGEUPCHANGINGCHANNELSCHANOYUSCHANSONSCHANTAGECHANTERSCHANTEYSCHANTIESCHANTINGCHANTORSCHAPATISCHAPATTICHAPBOOKCHAPEAUSCHAPEAUXCHAPERONCHAPITERCHAPLAINCHAPLETSCHAPPATICHAPPIESCHAPPINGCHAPTERSCHAQUETACHARACIDCHARACINCHARADESCHARASESCHARCOALCHARGERSCHARGINGCHARIESTCHARIOTSCHARISMACHARISMSCHARKHASCHARKINGCHARLADYCHARLEYSCHARLIESCHARLOCK
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Nine-Letter Words (354)
CHABAZITECHACONNESCHAETOPODCHAFFEREDCHAFFERERCHAFFIESTCHAFFINCHCHAGRINEDCHAINFALLCHAINSAWSCHAIRLIFTCHAIRMANSCHALAZIONCHALCOGENCHALDRONSCHALKIESTCHALLENGECHALLISESCHALUMEAUCHALUTZIMCHAMBEREDCHAMBRAYSCHAMELEONCHAMFEREDCHAMFERERCHAMFRAINCHAMFRONSCHAMMYINGCHAMOISEDCHAMOISESCHAMOMILECHAMPACASCHAMPAGNECHAMPAIGNCHAMPERTYCHAMPIONSCHAMPLEVECHANCEFULCHANCIESTCHANCROIDCHANCROUSCHANDELLECHANDLERSCHANDLERYCHANFRONSCHANGEFULCHANGEUPSCHANNELEDCHANNELERCHANTABLECHANTAGESCHANTEUSECHANTRIESCHAPARRALCHAPATTISCHAPBOOKSCHAPERONECHAPERONSCHAPITERSCHAPLAINSCHAPLETEDCHAPPATISCHAPTERALCHAPTEREDCHAQUETASCHARABANCCHARACIDSCHARACINSCHARACTERCHARBROILCHARCOALSCHARCOALYCHARGRILLCHARINESSCHARIOTEDCHARISMASCHARITIESCHARIVARICHARLATANCHARLOCKSCHARLOTTECHARMEUSECHARMLESSCHARRIESTCHARTABLECHARTEREDCHARTERERCHARTISTSCHARTLESSCHARWOMANCHARWOMENCHASEABLECHASSEINGCHASSEPOTCHASSEURSCHASTENEDCHASTENERCHASTISEDCHASTISERCHASTISES
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Ten-Letter Words (285)
CHABAZITESCHAETOPODSCHAFFERERSCHAFFERINGCHAGRININGCHAGRINNEDCHAINFALLSCHAINSAWEDCHAINWHEELCHAIRLIFTSCHAIRMANEDCHAIRWOMANCHAIRWOMENCHALAZIONSCHALCEDONYCHALCOCITECHALCOGENSCHALKBOARDCHALLENGEDCHALLENGERCHALLENGESCHALUMEAUSCHALYBEATECHAMBERINGCHAMELEONSCHAMFERERSCHAMFERINGCHAMFRAINSCHAMOISINGCHAMOMILESCHAMPAGNESCHAMPAIGNSCHAMPIGNONCHAMPIONEDCHAMPLEVESCHANCELLORCHANCERIESCHANCINESSCHANCROIDSCHANDELIERCHANDELLEDCHANDELLESCHANGEABLECHANGEABLYCHANGELESSCHANGELINGCHANGEOVERCHANNELERSCHANNELINGCHANNELIZECHANNELLEDCHANTEUSESCHAPARAJOSCHAPAREJOSCHAPARRALSCHAPERONEDCHAPERONESCHAPFALLENCHAPLAINCYCHAPTERINGCHARABANCSCHARACTERSCHARACTERYCHARBROILSCHARCOALEDCHARDONNAYCHARGEABLECHARGEHANDCHARGRILLSCHARIOTEERCHARIOTINGCHARISMATACHARITABLECHARITABLYCHARIVARISCHARLADIESCHARLATANSCHARLOTTESCHARMEUSESCHARMINGERCHARMINGLYCHARTERERSCHARTERINGCHARTREUSECHARTULARYCHASSEPOTSCHASTENERSCHASTENESSCHASTENINGCHASTISERSCHASTISINGCHASTITIESCHATELAINECHATELAINSCHATOYANCECHATOYANCYCHATOYANTSCHATTERBOXCHATTERERSCHATTERING
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Eleven-Letter Words (187)
CHAETOGNATHCHAFFINCHESCHAGRINNINGCHAINSAWINGCHAINWHEELSCHAIRMANINGCHAIRMANNEDCHAIRPERSONCHALCEDONICCHALCOCITESCHALKBOARDSCHALLENGERSCHALLENGINGCHALYBEATESCHAMAEPHYTECHAMBERLAINCHAMBERMAIDCHAMELEONICCHAMPERTIESCHAMPERTOUSCHAMPIGNONSCHAMPIONINGCHANCELLERYCHANCELLORSCHANCELLORYCHANCROIDALCHANDELIERSCHANDELLINGCHANDLERIESCHANGEFULLYCHANGELINGSCHANGEOVERSCHANNELIZEDCHANNELIZESCHANNELLINGCHANSONNIERCHANTERELLECHANTICLEERCHAOTICALLYCHAPERONAGECHAPERONINGCHARACTEREDCHARBROILEDCHARBROILERCHARCOALINGCHARCUTERIECHARDONNAYSCHARGEHANDSCHARGRILLEDCHARINESSESCHARIOTEERSCHARISMATICCHARIVARIEDCHARLATANRYCHARMINGESTCHARTREUSESCHATELAINESCHATOYANCESCHAUFFEUREDCHAULMOOGRACHAUTAUQUASCHAUVINISMSCHAUVINISTSCHEAPNESSESCHEAPSKATESCHECKLISTEDCHECKMARKEDCHECKMATINGCHECKPOINTSCHECKROWINGCHEERFULLERCHEERLEADERCHEERLESSLYCHEESECAKESCHEESECLOTHCHEMISETTESCHEMISORBEDCHEMISTRIESCHEMOSORBEDCHEMOTACTICCHERISHABLECHERNOZEMICCHERRYSTONECHESSBOARDSCHEWINESSESCHIAROSCUROCHICANERIESCHICKENSHITCHIEFTAINCYCHIFFCHAFFSCHIFFONADESCHIFFONIERSCHIFFOROBESCHILDBIRTHSCHILLNESSESCHIMAERISMSCHIMICHANGACHIMNEYLIKECHIMPANZEESCHINCHILLAS
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Twelve-Letter Words (150)
CHAETOGNATHSCHAIRMANNINGCHAIRMANSHIPCHAIRPERSONSCHALCEDONIESCHALCOGENIDECHALCOPYRITECHAMAEPHYTESCHAMBERLAINSCHAMBERMAIDSCHAMPIONSHIPCHANCINESSESCHANDELIEREDCHANGELESSLYCHANNELIZINGCHANSONNIERSCHANTERELLESCHANTICLEERSCHAPERONAGESCHAPLAINCIESCHARACTERFULCHARACTERIESCHARACTERINGCHARACTERIZECHARBROILERSCHARBROILINGCHARCUTERIESCHARGRILLINGCHARISMATICSCHARIVARIINGCHARLATANISMCHARTULARIESCHASTENESSESCHASTISEMENTCHATOYANCIESCHATTERBOXESCHATTINESSESCHAUFFEURINGCHAULMOOGRASCHAUVINISTICCHECKERBERRYCHECKERBOARDCHECKLISTINGCHECKMARKINGCHEEKINESSESCHEERFULLESTCHEERFULNESSCHEERINESSESCHEERLEADERSCHEERLEADINGCHEESEBURGERCHEESECLOTHSCHEESEPARINGCHEESINESSESCHEMIOSMOTICCHEMISORBINGCHEMOSORBINGCHEMOSURGERYCHEMOTHERAPYCHEMOTROPISMCHERRYSTONESCHERUBICALLYCHESTERFIELDCHIAROSCUROSCHICKENSHITSCHILDBEARINGCHILDISHNESSCHILLINESSESCHIMERICALLYCHIMICHANGASCHIMNEYPIECECHINABERRIESCHINOISERIESCHIROGRAPHERCHIROGRAPHICCHIROMANCERSCHIROMANCIESCHIROPODISTSCHIROPRACTICCHIROPRACTORCHIROPTERANSCHITCHATTINGCHITTERLINGSCHIVALROUSLYCHLORENCHYMACHLORINATINGCHLORINATIONCHLORINATORSCHLORINITIESCHLOROFORMEDCHLOROHYDRINCHLOROPHYLLSCHLOROPICRINCHLOROPLASTSCHLOROPRENESCHLOROQUINESCHOCOLATIERSCHOICENESSESCHOIRMASTERSCHOKEBERRIES
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Thirteen-Letter Words (82)
CHAIRMANSHIPSCHALCOGENIDESCHALCOPYRITESCHALLENGINGLYCHAMELEONLIKECHAMPIONSHIPSCHANCELLERIESCHANCELLORIESCHANGEABILITYCHANGEFULNESSCHARACTERIZEDCHARACTERIZESCHARACTERLESSCHARLATANISMSCHARLATANRIESCHASTISEMENTSCHATEAUBRIANDCHECKERBOARDSCHEERLESSNESSCHEESEBURGERSCHEESEPARINGSCHEMISORPTIONCHEMORECEPTORCHEMOSURGICALCHEMOTAXONOMYCHEMOTROPISMSCHESTERFIELDSCHIAROSCURISTCHIEFTAINCIESCHIEFTAINSHIPCHILDBEARINGSCHILDLESSNESSCHILDLIKENESSCHIMNEYPIECESCHIROGRAPHERSCHIROGRAPHIESCHIROPRACTICSCHIROPRACTORSCHLAMYDOSPORECHLORENCHYMASCHLORINATIONSCHLOROBENZENECHLOROFORMINGCHLOROHYDRINSCHLOROPICRINSCHLOROPLASTICCHOKECHERRIESCHOLANGIOGRAMCHOLECYSTITISCHONDRIOSOMESCHONDROCRANIACHOREOGRAPHEDCHOREOGRAPHERCHOREOGRAPHICCHOROGRAPHERSCHOROGRAPHIESCHOWDERHEADEDCHROMATICALLYCHROMATICISMSCHROMATOGRAMSCHROMATOGRAPHCHROMATOLYSESCHROMATOLYSISCHROMATOLYTICCHROMATOPHORECHROMOCENTERSCHROMONEMATICCHROMOPROTEINCHROMOSOMALLYCHROMOSPHERESCHROMOSPHERICCHRONOBIOLOGYCHRONOGRAPHICCHRONOLOGICALCHRONOLOGISTSCHRONOMETRIESCHRONOTHERAPYCHRYSANTHEMUMCHUCKLEHEADEDCHURCHMANSHIPCHURCHWARDENSCHYMOTRYPSINS
Fourteen-Letter Words (59)
CHANCELLORSHIPCHANGEABLENESSCHANGELESSNESSCHANNELIZATIONCHARACTERISTICCHARACTERIZINGCHARITABLENESSCHATEAUBRIANDSCHECKERBERRIESCHEERFULNESSESCHEMISORPTIONSCHEMORECEPTIONCHEMORECEPTIVECHEMORECEPTORSCHEMOSURGERIESCHEMOSYNTHESESCHEMOSYNTHESISCHEMOSYNTHETICCHEMOTAXONOMICCHEMOTHERAPIESCHEMOTHERAPISTCHIAROSCURISTSCHICKENHEARTEDCHIEFTAINSHIPSCHILDISHNESSESCHINCHERINCHEECHIROGRAPHICALCHIVALROUSNESSCHLAMYDOSPORESCHLOROBENZENESCHLOROPHYLLOUSCHLOROTHIAZIDECHLORPROMAZINECHLORPROPAMIDECHOLANGIOGRAMSCHOLELITHIASESCHOLELITHIASISCHOLESTYRAMINECHOLINESTERASECHONDROCRANIUMCHORDAMESODERMCHOREOGRAPHERSCHOREOGRAPHIESCHOREOGRAPHINGCHRESTOMATHIESCHROMATICITIESCHROMATOGRAPHSCHROMATOGRAPHYCHROMATOPHORESCHROMODYNAMICSCHROMOPROTEINSCHRONOBIOLOGICCHRONOGRAPHIESCHRONOMETRICALCHRYSANTHEMUMSCHURCHIANITIESCHURCHLINESSESCHURCHMANSHIPSCHURLISHNESSES
Fifteen-Letter Words (40)
CHANCELLORSHIPSCHANGEABILITIESCHANGEFULNESSESCHANNELIZATIONSCHARACTERISTICSCHEERLESSNESSESCHEMOAUTOTROPHYCHEMORECEPTIONSCHEMOTACTICALLYCHEMOTAXONOMIESCHEMOTAXONOMISTCHEMOTHERAPISTSCHILDLESSNESSESCHILDLIKENESSESCHINCHERINCHEESCHLORAMPHENICOLCHLOROTHIAZIDESCHLORPROMAZINESCHLORPROPAMIDESCHOLANGIOGRAPHYCHOLECALCIFEROLCHOLECYSTECTOMYCHOLECYSTITISESCHOLECYSTOKININCHOLESTYRAMINESCHOLINERGICALLYCHOLINESTERASESCHONDROCRANIUMSCHORDAMESODERMSCHORIOALLANTOICCHORIOALLANTOISCHORIOCARCINOMACHROMATOGRAPHEDCHROMATOGRAPHERCHROMATOGRAPHICCHRONOBIOLOGIESCHRONOBIOLOGISTCHRONOLOGICALLYCHRONOTHERAPIESCHURRIGUERESQUE