กรุง
grungMeanings
1NounA2
capital city
a capital city; in Thai often used to refer to Bangkok (กรุงเทพฯกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpBangkok (capital of Thailand))
Examples
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiพรุ่งนี้prûng-níi1tomorrow (the day after today)2tomorrow; on the day after todayฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เข้าkâoเข้าkâo1[to] enter; go in2[to] put in; insert3in; inward4[to] understand5[to] join; enter (an organization, school, etc.)6[to] fit; suit; match7rice (archaic; dialectal)8[to] enter; reach (a period or stage)กรุงgrungกรุงgrung1capital city2bound form meaning ‘capital’กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)ครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuaครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuafamily; household
Tomorrow I will go into the capital with my family.
3 more examplesShow less
สมัยเด็กsà-mǎi-dèkฉันchǎnไม่เคยmâi-kəəiไปbpaiกรุงgrungแต่dtɛ̀ɛเคยkəəiเห็นhěnในnaiทีวีtii-wiiว่าwâaใหญ่yàiและlɛ́คึกคักkʉ́k-kák
When I was a child, I had never been to the capital, but I saw on TV that it was big and lively.
ครูkruuบอกว่าbòk wâaกรุงgrungของkŏngไทยtaiคือkeuกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpซึ่งsêungเป็นbpenศูนย์กลางsŏon glaangการปกครองgaan bpòk-krongและláeเศรษฐกิจsèht-tà-gìt
The teacher said that Thailand’s capital is Bangkok, which is the center of government and the economy.
คนต่างจังหวัดkon-dtàang-jang-wàtมักmákเข้าkâoกรุงgrungเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaหางานhǎa-ngaanเพราะprɔ́โอกาสoo-gàatมีmiiมากกว่าmâak-gwàa
People from upcountry often go to the capital to find jobs because there are more opportunities.
2ClassifierB1
bound form meaning ‘capital’
a bound/root form used in compounds referring to the capital (e.g., กรุงเทพฯกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpBangkok (capital of Thailand), กรุงธนบุรีกรุงธนบุรีgrung ton-bù-reeThonburi (former capital of Siam)); not used independently as a classifier
Examples
ชื่อเต็มchêu dtemชื่อเต็มchêu dtem1full name (person)2unabbreviated full name/titleของkŏngของkŏng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpBangkok (capital of Thailand)คือkeuคือkeu1to be (definition/identification)2namely; that is; i.e.กรุงเทพมหานครgrung-têp má-hăa ná-konกรุงเทพมหานครgrung-têp má-hăa ná-kon1Bangkok2Bangkok Metropolitan Administrationซึ่งsêungซึ่งsêung1which; that (relative pronoun)2which/and this; introducing explanationใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderคำว่าkam wâaคำว่าkam wâathe word/term (introductory marker)กรุงgrungกรุงgrung1capital city2bound form meaning ‘capital’ประกอบbprà-gòpประกอบbprà-gòp1[to] assemble; put together2[to] consist of; be composed of3[to] perform (duties/rituals)4[to] accompany; go together withในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)คำประสมkam bprà-sŏmคำประสมkam bprà-sŏmcompound word
The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, which uses the bound form “krung” in a compound.
3 more examplesShow less
สมัยก่อนsà-măi gònมีmeeกรุงธนบุรีgrung ton-bù-reeมาก่อนmaa gònกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpชื่อchêuทั้งสองtáng sŏngเมืองmeuuangมีmeeคำว่าkam wâaกรุงgrungนำหน้าnam nâa
In the past there was Krung Thonburi before Bangkok; both city names begin with the bound form “krung.”
ชื่อchʉ̂ʉจังหวัดjang-wàtที่tîiเป็นbpenราชธานีrâat-chá-taa-niiมักmákใช้cháiคำว่าkam-wâaกรุงgrungนำหน้าnam-nâaชื่อchʉ̂ʉเช่นchênกรุงศรีอยุธยาgrung-sǐi-à-yút-tá-yaa
Provinces that were royal capitals often use the bound form “krung,” such as Krung Si Ayutthaya.
นักภาษาศาสตร์nák paa-săa-sàatอธิบายà-tí-baaiว่าwâaกรุงgrungเป็นbpenหน่วยคำnùuay kamที่têeใช้cháiประกอบbprà-gòpในnaiชื่อchêuเมืองหลวงmeuuang lŭuangไม่mâiใช้cháiเดี่ยวdìiaoๆ-หรือrĕuเป็นbpenลักษณนามlák-sà-ná-naam
Linguists explain that “krung” is a morpheme used in capital city names, not used independently or as a classifier.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid classConsonant clusterIn the cluster กร, the first consonant ก sets the class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ง, a sonorant, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
grung
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |