ขี้เค็ม
kîi-kemMeaning
1AdjectiveB2
stingy; miserly
stingy, miserly, or cheap (a colloquial term used to describe someone who is very reluctant to spend money)
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to 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 stirringขี้เค็มkîi-kemขี้เค็มkîi-kemstingy; miserlyมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousไม่เคยmâi-kəəiไม่เคยmâi-kəəinever; have neverเลี้ยงข้าวlíiang-kâaoเลี้ยงข้าวlíiang-kâao[to] treat [sb] to a mealเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedสักครั้งsàk-krángสักครั้งsàk-krángonce; at least once; even once
He is very stingy; he has never treated his friends to a meal even once.
3 more examplesShow less
อย่าyàaไปbpaiยืมyʉʉmเงินngənคนkonขี้เค็มkîi-kemแบบนั้นbɛ̀ɛp-nánเลยləəiเขาkǎoไม่มีmâi-miiทางtaangให้hâiหรอกrɔ̀k
Don't go borrowing money from such a miserly person; there's no way he will lend it to you.
หัวหน้าhǔua-nâaเราraoขึ้นชื่อkʉ̂n-chʉ̂ʉเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangความkwaamขี้เค็มkîi-kemเวลาwee-laaไปbpaiกินเลี้ยงgin-líiangบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtพนักงานpá-nák-ngaanต้องdtɔ̂ngออกเงินɔ̀ɔk-ngənกันเองgan-eengตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔt
Our boss is notorious for being cheap; whenever we go to a company party, the employees always have to pay for themselves.
บางคนbaang konอาจจะàat jàมองว่าmong wâaเขาkăoแค่kâeประหยัดbprà-yàtแต่dtàeสำหรับsăm-ràpฉันchănพฤติกรรมprút-dtì-gamแบบนี้bàep néeมันmanเรียกว่าrîiak wâaขี้เค็มkêe kemชัดๆchát chát
Some might see him as just frugal, but to me, this kind of behavior is clearly being miserly.
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 classHigh class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Falling tone
kîi
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
High class + Mai tho → Falling
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
ขี้kîiขี้kîi1feces; excrement; poop2dirty residue; scale; crust3[to] shit; poop (vulgar)4prefix indicating a habitual tendency, often undesirablefeces; excrement; poopPart 1
+
ขี้เค็มkîi-kemขี้เค็มkîi-kemstingy; miserlystingy; miserlyWord