Here's a breakdown:
* Greek Roots: Many words with "ch" making a "k" sound come from Greek words where the letter "χ" (chi) was used.
* Pronunciation Shift: When these Greek words were adopted into English, the "χ" sound (which is similar to "kh") changed to a "k" sound.
Examples:
* Chameleon: From the Greek "khamaileon"
* Chaos: From the Greek "khaos"
* Character: From the Greek "kharakter"
* Chorus: From the Greek "choros"
Important Note:
This rule is specific to words with the "ch" at the beginning. In many other words, "ch" makes a "ch" sound as in "chair" or a "sh" sound as in "machine."