Which to use
“cem” is a num and “chu” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #3,188
- “cem” frequency rank
- #24,559
- “chu” frequency rank
- 27747
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | cem | chu |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | particípio passado do verbo choir |
Where the eye mixes cem and chu
Muted = shared; highlighted = the visual trap. They share 1 letter in sequence.
Visual trap between cem and chu
These two trip readers on the page rather than in the ear: cem is /ˈsɐ̃j̃/ while chu is /ʃy/, /ʃːy/. Spoken aloud the problem disappears. In writing it persists, because they share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions, and the parts of speech differ too (num vs verb), which is usually the fastest check. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 27747, 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/. chu is at rank #24,559, tagged as averb, pronounced /ʃy/, /ʃːy/.
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 27747, this pair ranks #41,197 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of cem vs chu
Shared letters: c. Private to "cem": em. Private to "chu": hu.
"cem" · 3 letters · shape CVC · "chu" · 3 letters · shape CCV
Frequently Asked Questions
Is swapping "cem" for "chu" ever safe?
Which is more common, "cem" or "chu"?
After this comparison
Eye-level mix-up between "cem" and "chu" is sorted above. Next: full entries or other pairs that share a letter shape.
- Full dictionary entry for "cem" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
- Full dictionary entry for "chu" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
- This pair ranks #41,197 of 75,631 scored Portuguese confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
- "cem" and "chu" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "chau vs chu". Nearby pair
Confusion rank #41,197 of 75,631 scored Portuguese pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.