tsk tsk

[ˈǀˈǀ]

/[ˈǀˈǀ]/ intj

"tsk-tsk" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tsk tsk” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an interjection. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - An exclamation of disapproval.

Corpus desk

Index EN-tsk-tsk · tsk tsk · English

tsk tsk · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-0 0 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "T" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for tsk tsk
PropertyValue
Headwordtsk tsk
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechInterjection
IPA[ˈǀˈǀ]
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “tsk tsk” in English

tsk tskranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tsk tsk is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aninterjection, transcribed [ˈǀˈǀ]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "An exclamation of disapproval.".

No generated misspelling entries exist for tsk tsk in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is best read as a straightforward mapping from sound to letter. The correct English form is tsk tsk, spelled T-S-K- -T-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    An exclamation of disapproval.

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tsk tsk"?
"tsk tsk" is spelled T-S-K- -T-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is [ˈǀˈǀ].
What does "tsk tsk" mean?
As an interjection, "tsk tsk" means: An exclamation of disapproval.
How do you pronounce "tsk tsk"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tsk tsk" is [ˈǀˈǀ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "tsk tsk" come from?
"tsk tsk" is a English word. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for this and other words across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German on PlainSpell.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list