ขู่
kùuMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] threaten; intimidate
to use words or actions to frighten someone, often to force compliance
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillขู่kùuขู่kùu1[to] threaten; intimidate2[of animals] growl; hiss; threatenว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ฟ้องfɔ́ɔngฟ้องfɔ́ɔng1[to] tattle; complain (to authority)2[to] sue; bring a lawsuit3[to] betray; reveal; give awayถ้าtâaถ้าtâaif; in caseเราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)จ่ายเงินjàai-ngənจ่ายเงินjàai-ngən1[to] pay2[to] disburse; pay out
He threatened to sue if we didn’t pay.
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หัวหน้าhǔua-nâaขู่kùuว่าwâaจะjàตัดdtàtโบนัสboo-nátเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaกดดันgòt-danให้hâiทุกคนtúk-konทำtamโอทีoo-tii
The boss threatened to cut bonuses to pressure everyone to work overtime.
นักเลงnák-leengโทรมาtoo-maaขู่kùuว่าwâaจะjàมาหาmaa-hǎaที่บ้านtîi-bâanถ้าtâaไม่mâiถอนtɔ̌ɔnคำให้การkam-hâi-gaan
A thug called and threatened to come to the house if the testimony wasn’t withdrawn.
เขาkǎoใช้cháiคำพูดkam-pûutข่มขู่kòm-kùuและlɛ́ยื่นyʉ̂ʉnเงื่อนไขngʉ̂ʉan-kǎiบีบบังคับbìip-bang-kápให้เราhâi-raoยอมyɔɔmลงนามlong-naamในnaiสัญญาsǎn-yaa
He used intimidating words and coercive terms to force us to sign the contract.
2VerbB2
[of animals] growl; hiss; threaten
of an animal, to make a threatening sound or display (e.g., growl, hiss) to warn or scare
Examples
สุนัขsù-nákสุนัขsù-nákdog (formal)ของkŏngของkŏng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsบ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลังข้างๆkâang kâangข้างๆkâang kâang1beside; next to2nearby; at the side; next door3adjacent; neighboring; next-doorขู่kòoขู่kòo1[to] threaten; intimidate2[of animals] growl; hiss; threatenเสียงต่ำsĭiang dtàmเสียงต่ำsĭiang dtàmlow-pitched sound; low voiceเมื่อmêuuaเมื่อmêuua1when; at the time that2at; in; on (with time expressions)มีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoคนแปลกหน้าkon bplàek nâaคนแปลกหน้าkon bplàek nâastrangerเดินผ่านdern pàanเดินผ่านdern pàan1[to] walk past; pass by (on foot)2[to] walk through; traverse (on foot)
The neighbor’s dog growls in a low tone when strangers walk by.
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แมวmaeoหลังlăngโก่งgòhngและláeขู่kòoใส่sàiสุนัขsù-nákเพื่อpêuuaเตือนdteuuanให้hâiอยู่yòoห่างๆhàang hàang
The cat arched its back and hissed at the dog to warn it to stay away.
งูจงอางngoo jong aangแผ่pàeแม่เบี้ยmâe bîiaแล้วláeoขู่kòoดังๆdang dangเพื่อpêuuaข่มkòmศัตรูsàt-dtruu
The king cobra flared its hood and hissed loudly to intimidate its enemy.
ลิงlingป่าbpàaทำเสียงtam-sǐiangขู่kùuและlɛ́แสดงsà-dɛɛngเขี้ยวkîiaoเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaป้องกันbpɔ̂ng-ganอาณาเขตaa-naa-kèet
The wild monkey made threatening sounds and bared its teeth to defend its territory.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
kùu
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + Mai ek → 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 | — | — |