ก๋าน
gǎanMeanings
1NounB2
nominalizer; ‘the act of …’
Northern Thai (คำเมืองคำเมืองkam-mʉʉangNorthern Thai (Kam Mueang) language) equivalent of การการgaan1nominalizer2work; business; task3affair; matter: a nominalizing prefix placed before verbs/adjectives to form abstract nouns meaning ‘the act/process/state of …’
Examples
ก๋านgǎanก๋านgǎan1nominalizer; ‘the act of …’2affair; matter; activity; workนอนหลับพักผ่อนnɔɔn-làp-pák-pɔ̀ɔnนอนหลับพักผ่อนnɔɔn-làp-pák-pɔ̀ɔn[to] sleep and restหื้อhʉ́ʉหื้อhʉ́ʉ1[Northern Thai] [to] give2[Northern Thai] for [sb]; to [sb] (benefactive)3[Northern Thai] [to] let; allow; causeเพียงพอpiiang-pɔɔเพียงพอpiiang-pɔɔ1enough; sufficient; adequate2sufficiently; enoughเป๋นbpěenเป๋นbpěen1[to] be (Northern Thai)2[to] know how; be skilled (at [sth])3[to] have; suffer from (an illness)เรื่องสำคัญrʉ̂ʉang-sǎm-kanเรื่องสำคัญrʉ̂ʉang-sǎm-kanan important matter; significant issue
Getting enough restful sleep is an important matter.
3 more examplesShow less
The act of cooking northern Thai food isn't easy, but it's fun.
The conservation of forests is the duty of all of us.
เฮาhaoต้องdtɔ̂ngหื้อhʉ́ʉความสำคัญkwaam-sǎm-kanกับgàpก๋านgǎanสืบสานประเพณีsʉ̀ʉp-sǎan-bprà-pee-niiล้านนาláan-naa
We must give importance to the continuation of Lanna traditions.
2NounB2
affair; matter; activity; work
Northern Thai (คำเมืองคำเมืองkam-mʉʉangNorthern Thai (Kam Mueang) language): an affair or matter to handle; an activity; work/business
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentข้าเจ้าkâa-jâaoข้าเจ้าkâa-jâaoI; me (Northern Thai)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoก๋านgǎanก๋านgǎan1nominalizer; ‘the act of …’2affair; matter; activity; workต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyยะyáยะyá1[to] do; make (Northern Thai)2(colloq.) emphatic sentence-final particleในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)เวียงwiiangเวียงwiiang1walled city; fortified town2city wall; rampart3city; town (Northern Thai)
Today I have business to take care of in the city.
3 more examplesShow less
They're having a housewarming ceremony (activity) at their house tomorrow.
เปิ้นbpə̂ənเป๋นคนbpěen-konเอาaoใจ๋jǎiใส่sàiก๋านgǎanบ้านbâanก๋านgǎanเรือนrʉʉanดีdiiขนาดkà-nàatเลยləəiเป๋นbpěenตี้dtîiฮักhákของkɔ̌ɔngทุกคนtúk-kon
She is someone who takes great care of household affairs, so she is loved by everyone.
พ่ออุ๊ยpɔ̂ɔ-úiเปิ้นbpə̂ənปลีกbplìikตั๋วdtǔuaออกจากɔ̀ɔk-jàakก๋านgǎanเมืองmʉʉangมาmaaหลายlǎaiปี๋bpǐiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaมาmaaอยู่yùuกับgàpลูกหลานlûuk-lǎan
Grandpa removed himself from political affairs many years ago to come live with his children and grandchildren.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markMai chattawa
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Rising tone
gǎan
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
Mid class + Mai chattawa → Rising
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 | — | — |