What is hit? Pronunciation and usage in English

hit means . Learn how to pronounce and use hit through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of hit

hitverb

/hɪt/
Definition & pronunciation of hit

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "hit" in English. It’s a tricky one because it’s often mispronounced!

Here's the breakdown:

The Correct Pronunciation (American English):

  • IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet): /hɪt/
  • How it sounds: Think of the "i" sound as in "bit" (short "i" like in “pig”) and the "t" as in "top." It's a quick, single syllable.

Breaking it down phonetically:

  1. "h": A quick, almost silent "h" sound. It's very light and often barely noticeable.
  2. "i": The short "i" sound, like in the word "bit". It’s a tiny, quick sound.
  3. "t": A standard "t" sound, as in "top."

Common Mispronunciations & Why They're Wrong:

  • "hit" as in "bit" (long "i" sound): This is the most common mistake. People often extend the "i" sound like in “bike” or “fine”. It's incorrect.
  • "hit" with a 'th' sound: (like "with") - This is completely wrong.

Tips for Getting it Right:

  • Listen to native speakers: The best way to learn is to hear it. Search on YouTube for "how to pronounce 'hit' in English," or listen to American English speakers saying the word in sentences.
  • Practice quickly: The sound is very fast. Try saying it repeatedly, focusing on the quick “h-i-t”.
  • Record yourself: Record yourself saying "hit" and compare it to a native speaker's pronunciation.

Resources to Listen:

Do you want me to:

  • Give you more examples of how to use the word "hit"?
  • Explain the difference between American and British pronunciations (though they are very similar)?

Usage and examples with the word hit in English

Let's break down how to use the word "hit" in English. It’s a super versatile word with many different meanings! Here's a breakdown categorized for clarity:

1. Physical Impact (Hitting):

  • Definition: To strike something forcefully with an object.
  • Examples:
    • “He hit the ball with his bat.” (Baseball)
    • “She hit her head on the doorframe.”
    • “The car hit a tree.”
    • “He hit me with his elbow!” (Expressing anger or pain)

2. Music & Entertainment (Hitting):

  • Definition: To be popular and successful.
  • Examples:
    • “That song really hit the charts.” (Meaning it became very popular)
    • “That movie was a huge hit!”
    • “The band had a hit record last year.”
    • “This new album is already a massive hit.”

3. Expressions & Idioms (Common Phrases):

  • “Hit the spot”: To be exactly what you were looking for or desired (food, location, etc.).
    • “This pizza really hit the spot!”
  • “Hit it off”: To quickly become friendly with someone.
    • “We really hit it off when we met.”
  • “Hit me up”: To contact someone. (Informal)
    • “Hit me up if you want to grab coffee.”
  • “Hit the books”: To study.
    • “I need to hit the books tonight.”
  • “Hit the snooze button”: To delay waking up by hitting the snooze button on an alarm.
    • "I always hit the snooze button five times!"
  • “Hit a home run”: To have great success, achieve a significant accomplishment.
    • “She hit a home run on her project and got an A!”

4. Action & Movement (Hitting):

  • Definition: To move quickly or forcefully in a direction.
  • Examples:
    • "The train hit a red light."
    • "The runner hit second base."
    • "The bird hit the window." (Bumped into)

5. Figurative Language (Hitting):

  • Definition: To affect someone strongly emotionally or mentally.
  • Examples:
    • “The news hit her hard.” (She was deeply affected.)
    • “His words hit me like a ton of bricks.” (His words were shocking and overwhelming.)

Key Considerations:

  • Context is crucial: The meaning of "hit" depends entirely on how it’s used in the sentence.
  • Verb vs. Noun: “Hit” can be a verb (an action) or a noun (the act of hitting).
    • Verb: "I hit the ball."
    • Noun: "That was a hard hit!" (Referring to the action of hitting)
  • Informal Language: Some of the expressions (like “hit me up”) are very informal.

Resources for Further Learning:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What are you trying to use "hit" in? (e.g., a story, a conversation, a writing assignment?)

Synonyms for the word hit

Idioms of the word hit

grab/hit/make the headlines
to be an important item of news in the media
  • He always manages to grab the headlines.
hit (it) big
(informal)to be very successful
  • The band has hit big in the US.
hit the buffers
(informal)if a plan, somebody’s career, etc. hits the buffers, it suddenly stops being successful
  • The former tennis star’s comeback trail hit the buffers yesterday when she lost in straight sets.
hit the deck
(informal)to fall to the ground
    hit/knock somebody for six
    (British English)to affect somebody very deeply
    • The business over the lawsuit had really knocked her for six.
    hit the ground running
    (informal)to start doing something and continue very quickly and successfully
      hit the hay/sack
      (informal)to go to bed
      • I decided to hit the sack and have an early night.
      hit/strike home
      if a remark, etc. hits/strikes home, it has a strong effect on somebody, in a way that makes them realize what the true facts of a situation are
      • Her face went pale as his words hit home.
      hit somebody (straight/right) in the eye
      to be very obvious to somebody
        hit it
        (informal)used to tell somebody to start doing something, such as playing music
        • Hit it, Louis!
        hit it off (with somebody)
        (informal)to have a good friendly relationship with somebody
        • We hit it off straight away.
        hit the jackpot
        to make or win a lot of money quickly and unexpectedly
          hit/miss the mark
          to succeed/fail in achieving or guessing something
          • He blushed furiously and Robyn knew she had hit the mark.
          • The film misses the mark because it just isn't believable.
          hit the nail on the head
          to say something that is exactly right
            hit/touch/strike a (raw/sensitive) nerve
            to mention a subject that makes somebody feel angry, upset, embarrassed, etc.
            • You touched a raw nerve when you mentioned his first wife.
            • My remarks about divorce had unwittingly touched a raw nerve.
            • The article struck a raw nerve as it revived unpleasant memories.
            hit/strike pay dirt
            (informal)to suddenly be in a successful situation, especially one that makes you rich
            • The band really hit pay dirt with their last album.
            hit/strike the right/wrong note
            (especially British English)to do, say or write something that is suitable/not suitable for a particular occasion
            • It is a bizarre tale and the author hits just the right note of horror and disbelief.
            • Unfortunately, the president struck the wrong note in his speech, ignoring the public mood.
            hit the road/trail
            (informal)to start a journey
            • The following spring I hit the road.
            hit the roof
            (informal)to suddenly become very angry
              hit the spot
              (informal)if something hits the spot it does exactly what it should do
                hit (your) stride
                to begin to do something with confidence and at a good speed after a slow, uncertain start
                • After a nervous start, he finally hit his stride in the second set.
                • The team took time to hit stride.
                • The show finally hit its stride in the second season.
                hit a/the wall
                to reach a point when you cannot continue or make any more progress
                • We hit a wall and we weren't scoring.
                • I’ve hit a wall with my marathon training.
                • What do you do when you hit the wall at work?
                hit somebody when they’re down
                to continue to hurt somebody when they are already defeated
                  hit somebody where it hurts
                  to affect somebody where they will feel it most
                    hit/strike the woodwork
                    (British English, informal)to hit the wooden frame of the goal in the game of football (soccer), instead of scoring a goal
                    • She hit the woodwork twice before scoring.
                    not know what hit you
                    (informal)to be so surprised by something that you do not know how to react
                      when the shit hits the fan
                      (taboo, slang)when somebody in authority finds out about something bad or wrong that somebody has done
                      • When the shit hits the fan, I don't want to be here.

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