Which to use
“cem” is a num and “cher” is an adjective - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,188
- “cem” frequency rank
- #22,560
- “cher” frequency rank
- 25748
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | cem | cher |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | número equivalente a dez dezenas; cardinalidade de um conjunto que contenha uma centena de elementos distintos; representado pelo símbolo 100 (algarismos arábicos) ou C (algarismos romanos) | querido, adorado: |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set cem and cher apart are highlighted. They share 2 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
cem and cher form a confusable pair in the Portuguese index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They differ by 1 letter(s) in length - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 25748, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
cem is recorded at frequency rank #3,188, classified as anum, pronounced /ˈsɐ̃j̃/. cher is at rank #22,560, tagged as anadj, pronounced /ʃɛʁ/.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 25748, this pair ranks #43,516 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "cem" and "cher" be used interchangeably?
Remembering cem vs cher
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need a num, it's “cem”; for an adjective, it's “cher”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “cem” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable