The Burgers equation of fluid dynamics is applied to the problem of weak shock propagation in an anharmonic solid. For the crystalline solids KCl, Cu, and Ge, it is shown that the magnitude ofA333333/G3333is more than large enough to ensure steady compressive weak‐shock propagation. For amorphousSiO2, however,A333333is of such a sign that only weak steady rarefactions will form shocks.