ขาม
kǎamMeaning
1VerbB2
[to] fear; be afraid of; be intimidated by
To feel fear or apprehension toward someone or something, commonly in เกรงขามเกรงขามgreeng-kǎam[to] revere with fear; stand in awe of.
Examples
เด็กdèkเด็กdèk1child; kid2young person (informal)ๆ-ขามkăamขามkăam[to] fear; be afraid of; be intimidated byเสียงsĭiangเสียงsĭiang1sound; noise2voice3vote4tone; timbre5phonetic toneครูใหญ่kruu yàiครูใหญ่kruu yàiprincipal; headteacherจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyพูดคุยกันpôot kui ganพูดคุยกันpôot kui gan1[to] talk together; chat; converse2[to] discuss; hold talksในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ห้องโถงhông tŏhngห้องโถงhông tŏhnghall; lobby; foyer; great room
The kids are intimidated by the principal's voice, so they don't dare to talk in the hall.
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แม้mɛ́ɛเขาkǎoจะjàตัวโตdtuua-dtooแต่dtɛ̀ɛก็gɔ̂ขามkǎamสายตาsǎai-dtaaเย็นชาyen-chaaของkɔ̌ɔngเจ้านายjâo-naaiทุกครั้งที่túk-kráng-tîiถูกtùukเรียกrîiakเข้าkâoห้องhɔ̂ng
Even though he's big, he is intimidated by the boss's cold stare every time he's called into the office.
เธอtəəไม่mâiขามkǎamชื่อเสียงchʉ̂ʉ-sǐiangของkɔ̌ɔngคู่แข่งkûu-kɛ̀ngแต่ยังdtɛ̀ɛ-yangหวั่นใจwàn-jaiเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaเห็นhěnทีมtiimใหญ่yàiยืนyʉʉnเรียงriiangหน้าnâaอยู่yùuตรงข้ามdtrong-kâam
She's not cowed by the rival's reputation, yet she feels intimidated when seeing the large team lined up opposite.
หลายคนlǎai-konขามkǎamอำนาจam-nâatของkɔ̌ɔngนักการเมืองnák-gaan-mʉʉangผู้นั้นpûu-nánจนjonไม่mâiกล้าglâaแสดงความเห็นsà-dɛɛng-kwaam-hěnที่tîiต่างออกไปdtàang-ɔ̀ɔk-bpaiในnaiที่สาธารณะtîi-sǎa-taa-rá-ná
Many people are intimidated by that politician's power to the point that they don't voice differing opinions in public.
เขาkǎoรู้rúuว่าwâaเจ้านายjâo-naaiไม่พอใจmâi-pɔɔ-jaiแต่dtɛ̀ɛขามkǎamเกินกว่าgəən-gwàaจะjàทักท้วงták-túuang
He knew the boss was unhappy but was too afraid to speak up.
She wanted to apologize but was too afraid, hesitating in front of the room.
หลายคนlǎai-konขามkǎamที่จะtîi-jàรายงานraai-ngaanปัญหาbpan-hǎaเพราะprɔ́กลัวว่าgluua-wâaจะjàถูกtùukมองว่าmɔɔng-wâaเป็นbpenคนkonสร้างเรื่องsâang-rʉ̂ʉang
Many people are too afraid to report problems for fear of being seen as troublemakers.
ผมpǒmไม่ใช่mâi-châiไม่เห็นด้วยmâi-hěn-dûuaiเพียงแต่piiang-dtɛ̀ɛขามkǎamจะjàค้านkáanต่อหน้าdtɔ̀ɔ-nâaผู้ใหญ่pûu-yàiเพราะprɔ́เกรงgreengผลกระทบpǒn-grà-tópตามมาdtaam-maa
It's not that I disagree; I'm just too afraid to object in front of the seniors because of potential repercussions.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ม, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
kǎam
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → 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 | — | — |