กำบี้
gam-bîiMeaning
1NounB1
butterfly (Northern Thai)
A Northern Thai word for a butterfly, an insect with two pairs of wings that are often brightly colored.
Examples
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)เห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asกำบี้gam-bîiกำบี้gam-bîibutterfly (Northern Thai)สีเหลืองsǐi-lʉ̌ʉangสีเหลืองsǐi-lʉ̌ʉang1yellow (color)2yellow (the color)3‘Yellow’ (Thai politics)4yellow (journalism); sensationalistเกาะgɔ̀เกาะgɔ̀1island2[to] cling; [to] hold on3[to] perch4[to] stick; [to] adhere5[to] come close to shore (of a boat)6[to] rely on [sb] for support or advantage (figurative)อยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainบนbonบนbon1on; upon; in; above2upper; top3[to] vow (at a shrine)ดอกไม้dɔ̀ɔk-máaiดอกไม้dɔ̀ɔk-máaiflower; flowers
Yesterday I saw a yellow butterfly resting on a flower.
3 more examplesShow less
ตอนเด็กdton dèkๆ-ฉันchănชอบchôpวิ่งตามwîng dtaamกำบี้gam-bêeที่têeบินbinอยู่ในyòo naiสวนหลังบ้านsŭuan lăng bâan
As a child, I liked running after the butterflies flying around our backyard.
ยายyaaiชี้chíiไปที่bpai-tîiผีเสื้อpǐi-sʉ̂ʉaบนbonดอกไม้dɔ̀ɔk-máaiแล้วlɛ́ɛoบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaคนเหนือkon-nʉ̌ʉaเรียกrîiakมันmanว่าwâaกำบี้gam-bîi
Grandma pointed to the butterfly on the flower and said that people in northern Thailand call it 'kam bi.'
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaชาวบ้านchaao-bâanลดlótการใช้gaan-cháiยาฆ่าแมลงyaa-kâa-má-lɛɛngกำบี้gam-bîiหลากสีlàak-sǐiที่tîiเคยkəəiหายไปhǎai-bpaiก็gɔ̂กลับมาglàp-maaบินbinอยู่yùuตามdtaamแปลงดอกไม้bplɛɛng-dɔ̀ɔk-máaiอีกครั้งìik-kráng
When the villagers reduced their use of pesticides, the colorful butterflies that had disappeared returned to the flower beds.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is กำบี้ said กัม-บี้?
gam-bîi
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
กำgamกำgam1[to] grasp; clench; grip2handful (amount)3fist4classifier: handful(s)5wheel spoke[to] grasp; clench; gripPart 1
+
บี้bîiบี้bîi1[to] crush; squash; press flat2[to] badger; pester; pressure (informal)3crushed; squashed[to] crush; squash; press flatPart 2
กำบี้gam-bîiกำบี้gam-bîibutterfly (Northern Thai)butterfly (Northern Thai)Word