'Chord' is a musical combination of notes; 'cord' is a rope, cable, or thick string.
Noun. A combination of three or more musical notes played together. In geometry: a straight line connecting two points on a curve.
He struck a simple three-chord progression on the guitar.
The speech struck a chord with the audience — many were visibly moved.
Learning to play guitar chords is the first step for most beginners.
Noun. A length of rope or thick string. An electrical cable. Also: vocal cords (the folds in the throat that produce sound).
The charging cord for my laptop is fraying at the connector end.
Tie the package securely with a length of cord before shipping.
Straining her voice repeatedly damaged her vocal cords.
Common mistake
"That message struck a cord" when meaning an emotional resonance (correct: struck a chord). Or "Cut the electrical chord" when meaning cable (correct: cord). The most common confusion is 'strike a cord' vs 'strike a chord'.
Trick to remember it
'Chord' has CH like 'chorus', 'chime', 'chamber music' — all musical terms with CH. 'Cord' has no H — it is a physical object, plain and simple.
Quick rule
Is it the musical combination of notes? 'Chord'. Is it the physical rope, cable, or string? 'Cord'.
Did you know?
'Strike a chord' comes from the literal sensation of playing a chord — multiple notes resonating together creates a physical vibration you can feel. The metaphor extends naturally to emotional resonance: a speech or song 'strikes a chord' when it vibrates at the same frequency as your own feelings. In geometry, a chord connects two points on a circle by a straight line (different from an arc). The word comes from Greek 'chorde' (gut string, as in a stringed instrument).
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
Her opening words struck an immediate _____ with everyone in the room.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The technician replaced the frayed power _____ before testing the equipment.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Is it the musical combination of notes? 'Chord'. Is it the physical rope, cable, or string? 'Cord'.
"That message struck a cord" when meaning an emotional resonance (correct: struck a chord). Or "Cut the electrical chord" when meaning cable (correct: cord). The most common confusion is 'strike a cord' vs 'strike a chord'.
'Chord' has CH like 'chorus', 'chime', 'chamber music' — all musical terms with CH. 'Cord' has no H — it is a physical object, plain and simple.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy