People are just discovering the right way to pronounce Shein – and it's baffling

By Zahna Eklund, Social News Reporter

You've probably been pronouncing Shein incorrectly (stock photo) (Image: Getty)

The way you pronounce Shein probably isn't correct.

Fast fashion retailer Shein has become increasingly popular over the years for shoppers looking for clothes on a budget, and in 2022, it became the world's largest fashion retailer.

The brand, based in China, is a regular hotspot for those in need of a wardrobe refresh. And thanks to its low prices, it's also become something of a viral sensation on social media with people showing off "Shein hauls".

But do you know how to properly pronounce the brand's name?

Before Shein's rise to fame, the word didn't exist in the English language, leading to various pronunciations as people read it differently.

Many pronounce it as "Sheen", but according to one woman, that's incorrect.

In a viral video, Kinly revealed the correct pronunciation stems from the brand's earlier name, She Inside, which was later shortened to Shein.

Sharing her insight on TikTok, Kinly explained the word should be pronounced as two separate words: She-In.

She clarified: "Please stop saying Sheen. It's pronounced She-in. It's short for She Inside. That's what the old name for Shein was. She Inside. It's not Sheen."

Kinly then demonstrated from a Google AI Overview result that showed the brand styled as "SheIn", with a capital 'I' distinguishing the two syllables, and mentioned it was "formerly She Inside".

Even though the present branding on the website appears in uppercase, merging both parts of the name, there remains some confusion.

The comment section under Kinly's video sparked debate on regional pronunciations, with Swedes and Romanians asserting they say it more like "Shane".

One individual flippantly remarked: "It's pronounced however it comes out of my mouth."

Another voiced their irritation: "Thank you! This has annoyed me forever."

And someone else confessed: "I knew it was pronounced that way but I like saying Sheen better."