กล้า
glâaMeanings
1AdjectiveA2
brave; courageous
Showing courage in the face of difficulty, danger, or social pressure; bold.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringกล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)ไม่กลัวmâi-gluuaไม่กลัวmâi-gluuanot afraid; fearlessความมืดkwaam-mʉ̂ʉtความมืดkwaam-mʉ̂ʉt1darkness2figurative darkness
He is brave and not afraid of the dark.
3 more examplesShow less
She bravely helped her friend even though everyone disagreed.
The teacher praised the child as very brave for admitting his mistake.
คนkonที่tîiกล้าglâaพูดpûutความจริงkwaam-jingต่อหน้าdtɔ̀ɔ-nâaผู้มีอำนาจpûu-mii-am-nâatย่อมyɔ̂mได้รับdâi-rápความเคารพkwaam-kao-róp
Those who dare to speak the truth before the powerful earn respect.
2VerbA2
to dare
To have the courage to do something risky, difficult, or socially challenging.
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyพูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutต่อหน้าdtɔ̀ɔ-nâaต่อหน้าdtɔ̀ɔ-nâa1in front of; to someone's face2before; in the presence ofคนเยอะkon-yə́คนเยอะkon-yə́crowded; many people
I don’t dare to speak in front of many people
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday he dared to apologize to his friend in front of the class
Tomorrow I will dare to ask the boss for a raise
เธอtəəตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jaiที่จะtîi-jàกล้าglâaออกจากɔ̀ɔk-jàakงานngaanเดิมdəəmเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเริ่มrə̂əmธุรกิจtú-rá-gìtของตัวเองkɔ̌ɔng-dtuua-eeng
She decided to have the courage to leave her old job to start her own business
3NounB1
seedling; young plant
A young plant grown from seed, especially before being transplanted.
Examples
ชาวนาchaao-naaชาวนาchaao-naarice farmerเพาะpɔ́เพาะpɔ́1[to] sow; germinate; cultivate; breed; incubate2[to] nurture (talent/skills)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyไว้wáiไว้wái1[to] keep; save; store2[to] set aside; reserve3for later; in reserve4[to] leave (something) as is5marks retention or maintenance of a state6[to] wear; sport (hair/moustache/etc.)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)แปลงbplɛɛngแปลงbplɛɛng1[to] transform; convert; modify; adapt2plot; parcel (of land); garden bed3classifier: plots/sections (of land, garden beds)ก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; formerย้ายไปyáai-bpaiย้ายไปyáai-bpai1[to] move; relocate (to somewhere)2[to] transfer [sb/sth] (to somewhere)ปักดำbpàk-damปักดำbpàk-dam[to] transplant rice seedlings (by hand into a paddy); to rice-plantในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)นาnaaนาnaapaddy field; rice fieldใหญ่yàiใหญ่yài1big; large2major; important3elder; senior
The farmer grows seedlings in a plot before transplanting them into the main field.
3 more examplesShow less
กล้าข้าวglâa-kâaoที่tîiเพิ่งpə̂ngงอกngɔ̂ɔkยังyangอ่อนɔ̀ɔnต้องdtɔ̂ngรดน้ำrót-náamเช้าcháoเย็นyenให้hâiสม่ำเสมอsà-màm-sà-mə̌ə
The newly sprouted rice seedlings are still delicate and need to be watered regularly morning and evening.
เขาkǎoนำnamกล้าglâaผักชีpàk-chiiไปbpaiแจกjɛ̀ɛkชุมชนchum-chonเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiทุกtúkบ้านbâanปลูกbplùukกินginเองeeng
He distributed coriander seedlings to the community so every household could grow their own.
หลังlǎngเพาะpɔ́ประมาณbprà-maanสองsɔ̌ɔngสัปดาห์sàp-daaกล้าglâaมะเขือเทศmá-kʉ̌ʉa-têetแข็งแรงkɛ̌ng-rɛɛngพอpɔɔที่จะtîi-jàย้ายyáaiลงlongแปลงbplɛɛngถาวรtǎa-wɔɔn
After about two weeks of germination, the tomato seedlings are strong enough to be transplanted into the permanent bed.
4AdverbB1
bravely; boldly
In a brave or bold way (used adverbially in Thai when modifying verbs).
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herกล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyยิ้มyímยิ้มyím1[to] smile2smileและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)ทักทายták-taaiทักทายták-taai1[to] greet; say hello; exchange greetings2greeting; salutationคนแปลกหน้าkon-bplɛ̀ɛk-nâaคนแปลกหน้าkon-bplɛ̀ɛk-nâastrangerอย่างyàangอย่างyàang1kind; type; sort2manner; way3classifier (for kinds/types)4like; as; such as5in the manner of; -lyเป็นกันเองbpen-gan-eengเป็นกันเองbpen-gan-eeng1friendly; informal; relaxed2[to] be friendly; be informal
She dared to smile and greet the stranger in a friendly manner.
2 more examplesShow less
He dared to speak up and ask questions that many people did not dare to ask.
The actor dared to come out and apologize in front of the media.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid classConsonant clusterIn the cluster กล, the first consonant ก sets the class.
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Falling tone
glâa
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Mid class + Mai tho → Falling
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 | — | — |