กุลา
gù-laaMeanings
1NounB2
itinerant trader from Burma (esp. Shan/Mon)
A historical Thai term, especially in Isan, for itinerant traders from Burma/Myanmar—often Shan (Tai Yai), Mon, or Pa-O; also seen in place names such as Thung Kula Ronghai.
Examples
คนเฒ่าคนแก่kon-tâo-kon-gɛ̀ɛคนเฒ่าคนแก่kon-tâo-kon-gɛ̀ɛthe elderly; eldersเล่าlâoเล่าlâo1[to] tell; narrate; recount2particle (emphasis/insistence)3question or topic particle (literary)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeสมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔnสมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔn1formerly; in the past; back then2the old days; former timesมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoพวกpûuakพวกpûuak1group; set; category2gang; faction; clique3those; the ... ones (pluralizing prefix)4pluralizing prefix before pronouns or names5classifier for groups or kindsกุลาgù-laaกุลาgù-laa1itinerant trader from Burma (esp. Shan/Mon)2(Isan) person from Central Thailandเดินทางdəən-taangเดินทางdəən-taang[to] travel; make a journeyมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerค้าขายkáa-kǎaiค้าขายkáa-kǎai1[to] trade; do business; buy and sell2trading; commerce (activity)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)หมู่บ้านmùu-bâanหมู่บ้านmùu-bâan1village; hamlet2housing estate; gated community
The elders say that in the old days, Kula traders used to travel to sell goods in the village.
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ชื่อchʉ̂ʉทุ่งtûngกุลาgù-laaร้องไห้rɔ́ɔng-hâiมีmiiตำนานdtam-naanเล่าlâoว่าwâaเคยkəəiเป็นbpenเส้นทางsên-taangค้าขายkáa-kǎaiที่tîiยากลำบากyâak-lam-bàakของkɔ̌ɔngชาวchaaoกุลาgù-laa
The name 'Thung Kula Ronghai' (The Field of the Crying Kula) has a legend that it was once a difficult trade route for the Kula people.
หลักฐานlàk tăanทางประวัติศาสตร์taang bprà-wàt-dtì-sàatบ่งชี้bòng chéeว่าwâaชาวchaaoกุลาgù-laaเป็นกลุ่มbpen glùmพ่อค้าpô káaหลากหลายlàak lăaiชาติพันธุ์châat panจากjàakแถบtàepพม่าpá-mâaที่têeเข้ามาkâo maaมีmeeบทบาทสำคัญbòt bàat săm-kanทางเศรษฐกิจtaang sèt-tà-gìtในnaiภาคอีสานpâak ee-săan
Historical evidence indicates that the Kula were a group of multi-ethnic traders from the Burma region who played a significant economic role in the Isan region.
การศึกษาgaan sùk-săaเรื่องราวrêuuang raaoของkŏngชาวchaaoกุลาgù-laaทำtamให้hâiเราraoเข้าใจkâo jaiเครือข่ายkreuua kàaiการค้าgaan káaโบราณboh-raanที่têeเชื่อมโยงchêuuam yoongอีสานee-săanกับgàpดินแดนdin daenอื่นèunๆ-ได้dâiลึกซึ้งléuk séungยิ่งขึ้นyîng kêun
Studying the story of the Kula people gives us a deeper understanding of the ancient trade networks that connected Isan with other lands.
2NounC1
(Isan) person from Central Thailand
In the Isan dialect of Northeastern Thailand, a term for a person from Central Thailand, particularly from Bangkok.
Examples
อ้ายâaiอ้ายâai1I (older male); you (to an older male) (Isan)2older brother (Isan/Lao; also male slightly older)3you (rude/insulting; dialectal)4insulting prefix before a nounนั่นnânนั่นnân1that (over there)2thereเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to 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 stirringกุลาgù-laaกุลาgù-laa1itinerant trader from Burma (esp. Shan/Mon)2(Isan) person from Central Thailandมาจากmaa jàakมาจากmaa jàak1[to] come from; be from (source/origin)2[to] originate/derive from3[to] result from; be due toกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpกรุงเทพฯgrung-têpBangkok (capital of Thailand)พูดpôotพูดpôot1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutอีสานee-săanอีสานee-săan1Isan (region of Thailand)2Isan; Northeastern Thai3Isan (language/dialect)4northeast (compass point)บ่bòบ่bò1not; no (Isan/Northern particle)2yes–no question particle (Isan/Northern)ค่อยkôiค่อยkôi1gradually; little by little2gently; softly3not very; hardly (with negation)4then; later; only afterชัดchátชัดchát1clear; sharp (visible/audible)2clear; definite3clearly
That guy is a 'kula' (from Central Thailand), he's from Bangkok; he doesn't speak Isan very clearly.
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ตอนแรกdtɔɔn-rɛ̂ɛkฉันchǎnก็gɔ̂ไม่รู้mâi-rúuว่าwâaเขาkǎoเป็นbpenคนkonกุลาgù-laaจนกระทั่งjon-grà-tângเขาkǎoบ่นbònว่าwâaอาหารอีสานaa-hǎan-ii-sǎanเผ็ดpètเกินไปgəən-bpaiสำหรับsǎm-ràpเขาkǎo
At first, I didn't know he was a 'kula' (person from Central Thailand) until he complained that Isan food was too spicy for him.
แม้ว่าmɛ́ɛ-wâaเขาkǎoจะjàพยายามpá-yaa-yaamปรับตัวbpràp-dtuuaให้hâiเข้ากับkâo-gàpวิถีชีวิตwí-tǐi-chii-wítแบบbɛ̀ɛpอีสานii-sǎanแต่dtɛ̀ɛสำเนียงsǎm-niiangและlɛ́ทัศนคติtát-sà-ná-ká-dtìบางอย่างbaang-yàangก็gɔ̂ยังyangบ่งบอกbòng-bɔ̀ɔkความเป็นkwaam-bpenกุลาgù-laaของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoอยู่yùu
Even though he tries to adapt to the Isan way of life, his accent and certain attitudes still reveal his 'kula' (Bangkokian) origins.
คำว่าkam-wâaกุลาgù-laaในnaiบริบทbɔɔ-rí-bòtปัจจุบันbpàt-jù-banอาจàatมีmiiความหมายแฝงkwaam-mǎai-fɛ̌ɛngที่tîiหลากหลายlàak-lǎaiตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛการหยอกล้อgaan-yɔ̀ɔk-lɔ́ɔไปจนถึงbpai-jon-tʉ̌ngการชี้ให้เห็นgaan-chíi-hâi-hěnความแตกต่างkwaam-dtɛ̀ɛk-dtàangทางวัฒนธรรมtaang-wát-tá-ná-tamกับgàpคนkonเมืองหลวงmʉʉang-lǔuang
The word 'kula' in the current context can have various connotations, ranging from friendly teasing to pointing out cultural differences with people from the capital.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
gù
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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
กุgùกุgù1[to] fabricate; make up (a story)2I; me (very rude; nonstandard)[to] fabricate; make up (a story)Part 1
+
ลาlaaลาlaa1donkey2[to] say goodbye; take one’s leave3leave (from work/school)4[to] take leave; request leavedonkeyPart 2
กุลาgù-laaกุลาgù-laaitinerant trader from Burma (esp. Shan/Mon)itinerant trader from Burma (esp. Shan/Mon)Word