ครูบา
kruu-baaMeaning
1NounB2
venerable monk (Northern Thai honorific)
a respectful title for an elder or highly revered Buddhist monk, especially in Northern Thailand; sometimes used for a revered spiritual teacher
Examples
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanชาวบ้านchaao-bâan1villagers; locals; rural residents2ordinary people; laypeople; the public3folksy; colloquial; plain (as a modifier)พากันpaa-ganพากันpaa-gantogether; all; en masseขึ้นดอยkʉ̂n-dɔɔiขึ้นดอยkʉ̂n-dɔɔi[to] go up a mountain/hill (North)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyกราบครูบาgràap-kruu-baaกราบครูบาgràap-kruu-baa[to] prostrate to a revered monk (khruba)ผู้เฒ่าpûu-tâoผู้เฒ่าpûu-tâoelder; elderly personที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerวัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingท่านtânท่านtân1you (formal/polite)2he; she (honorific)3sir; madam4honorific title5classifier (polite for persons)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)พระที่prá-tîiพระที่prá-tîimonks’ quarters; monks’ living areaทุกคนtúk-konทุกคนtúk-koneveryone; everybodyเคารพkao-rópเคารพkao-róp1[to] respect; honor2[to] obey; abide by3[to] pay respects
Villagers went up the mountain to pay respects to the venerable Kruba at the temple, as he is a monk everyone reveres.
3 more examplesShow less
แม่mɛ̂ɛเล่าให้ฟังlâo-hâi-fangว่าwâaเมื่อก่อนmʉ̂ʉa-gɔ̀ɔnครูบาkruu-baaที่tîiเชียงใหม่chiiang-màiท่านtânช่วยchûuaiสร้างsâangสะพานsà-paanและlɛ́ซ่อมsɔ̂mถนนtà-nǒnให้hâiชาวบ้านchaao-bâan
Mother told me that in the past a Kruba in Chiang Mai helped build bridges and repair roads for the villagers.
แม้máeท่านtâanจะjàมาจากmaa jàakต่างถิ่นdtàang tìnแต่dtàeเมื่อmêuuaชาวบ้านchaao bâanเห็นhĕnความเมตตาkwaam mâyt-dtaaและláeวัตรปฏิบัติwát bpà-dtì-bàtของkŏngครูบาkruu baaก็gâwเกิดgèrtศรัทธาsàt-taaอย่างยิ่งyàang yîng
Even though he came from elsewhere, when the villagers saw the Kruba’s compassion and conduct, they developed deep faith.
นักศึกษาnák sèuk-săaธรรมะtam-máหลายคนlăai konยกย่องyók yôngครูบาkruu baaรุ่นเก่าrûn gàoเป็นbpenครูkruuทางจิตวิญญาณtaang jìt-dtà-win-yaanและláeศึกษาsèuk-săaแนวปฏิบัติnaew bpà-dtì-bàtที่têeท่านtâanถ่ายทอดtàai tôt
Many Dhamma students revere the elder Krubas as spiritual teachers and study the practices they taught.
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 classLow classConsonant clusterIn the cluster คร, the first consonant ค sets the class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
kruu
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |