กำ
gamMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] grasp; clench; grip
to take and hold something tightly in the hand; to close the hand firmly around something
Examples
เด็กน้อยdèk-nɔ́ɔiเด็กน้อยdèk-nɔ́ɔi1little child; little one2young/naive person (figurative)กำgamกำgam1[to] grasp; clench; grip2handful (amount)3fist4classifier: handful(s)ลูกอมlûuk-omลูกอมlûuk-omcandy; sweetไว้wáiไว้wái1[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.)แน่นnɛ̂nแน่นnɛ̂n1tight; secure; firm2crowded; packed3uncomfortably full; bloated; tight4solid; reliable; certain (figurative)ไม่ยอมให้mâi-yɔɔm-hâiไม่ยอมให้mâi-yɔɔm-hâi[to] refuse to let [sb] do [sth]; [to] not allow [sth]ใครkraiใครkrai1who2anyone; whoever
The little child gripped the candy tightly and wouldn’t let anyone have it.
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She held the umbrella handle tightly because the wind was very strong.
คนขับkon-kàpกำgamพวงมาลัยpuuang-maa-laiแน่นnɛ̂nเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaรถrótลื่นไถลlʉ̂ʉn-tà-lǎiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaควบkûuapคุมทิศทางkum-tít-taangไม่ให้mâi-hâiเสียหลักsǐia-làk
The driver gripped the steering wheel tightly when the car skidded to maintain control.
2NounB1
handful (amount)
the amount that can be held in one closed hand
Examples
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseหยิบyìpหยิบyìp1[to] pick up; take (with fingers)2[to] select; choose (a small item)3a pinch (measure)เกลือglʉʉaเกลือglʉʉa1salt (table salt)2salt (chemical class)หนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostกำgamกำgam1[to] grasp; clench; grip2handful (amount)3fist4classifier: handful(s)ใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)หม้อแกงmɔ̂ɔ-gɛɛngหม้อแกงmɔ̂ɔ-gɛɛng1curry pot2Thai custard dessert
Mom put a handful of salt into the soup pot.
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Just one handful of peanuts is enough to make the snack.
I gathered several handfuls of flower seeds from the backyard garden.
The vegetable vendor added an extra handful of cilantro as a kind gesture.
3NounB1
fist
a hand with the fingers bent tightly into the palm
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillยกมือyók-mʉʉยกมือyók-mʉʉ[to] raise one's handเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)กำแน่นgam-nɛ̂nกำแน่นgam-nɛ̂n[to] clench tightly; grip firmlyเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingหนาวnǎaoหนาวnǎao1cold; chilly2[to] feel cold3cold season; winter (Thai context)
He raised his hand clenched into a tight fist because of the cold.
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เด็กชายdèk-chaaiทำมือtam-mʉʉเป็นbpenกำgamแล้วlɛ́ɛoซ่อนsɔ̂ɔnลูกกุญแจlûuk-gun-jɛɛไว้wáiข้างในkâang-nai
The boy made his hand into a fist and hid the key inside.
She loosened her hand from a tight fist to reveal the hidden button.
เขาkăoนั่งnângเงียบngîiapๆ-โดยdoiมีmeeมือขวาmeu kwăaกำแน่นgam nâenบนbonเข่าkàoแสดงถึงsà-daeng tĕungความกังวลkwaam gang-won
He sat quietly with his right hand clenched into a tight fist on his knee, showing anxiety.
4ClassifierB1
classifier: handful(s)
classifier for items measured by a handful (e.g., a handful of rice)
Examples
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseตักdtàkตักdtàk1lap (of a person)2[to] scoop; ladle; spoon upข้าวสารkâao-sǎanข้าวสารkâao-sǎanuncooked rice (raw grains)ใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)หม้อmɔ̂ɔหม้อmɔ̂ɔ1pot; cooking pot2jar; pot (earthen/ceramic)3electric rice cooker (colloquial)4transformer (colloq.)หนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostกำgamกำgam1[to] grasp; clench; grip2handful (amount)3fist4classifier: handful(s)ก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; formerซาวน้ำsaao-náamซาวน้ำsaao-náam[to] rinse (rice) with water
Mom puts one handful of uncooked rice into the pot before rinsing.
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เขาkǎoใส่sàiเกลือglʉʉaลงไปlong-bpaiครึ่งkrʉ̂ngกำgamเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaปรุงรสbprung-rótซุปsúpให้hâiอร่อยà-rɔ̀iขึ้นkʉ̂n
He added half a handful of salt to make the soup tastier.
ยายyaaiบอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâiใส่sàiข้าวเหนียวkâao-nǐiaoสองsɔ̌ɔngกำgamเพียงพอpiiang-pɔɔสำหรับsǎm-ràpมื้อเช้าmʉ́ʉ-cháao
Grandma said to put in two handfuls of glutinous rice, enough for breakfast.
เวลาwee-laaทำแกงtam-gɛɛngโบราณboo-raanเขาkǎoจะjàกะgàปริมาณbpà-rí-maanสมุนไพรsà-mǔn-praiเป็นbpenกำgamแทนtɛɛnการชั่งตวงวัดgaan-châng-dtuuang-wátแบบbɛ̀ɛpละเอียดlá-ìiat
When making traditional curry, they estimate the amount of herbs by handfuls instead of precise measurements.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is กำ said กัม?
gam
- Vowel spellingThe vowel ำ already ends in an m sound, so it is respelled ัม.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
gam
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 | — | — |