ควร

kuuan

Meanings

1VerbA2

should; ought to

used to express advisability or moral or social obligation; the sensible or expected thing to do; often translated as “should/ought to” and used with a main verb

Examples

คุณควรkun-kuuanคุณควรkun-kuuanyou shouldกินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] consume; use up4[to] corrode; erode; eat into5[to] take (a bribe); pocketผักpàkผักpàkvegetable(s)ทุกวันtúk-wanทุกวันtúk-wan1every day; daily2daily; occurring every day
You should eat vegetables every day.
3 more examples
เราraoควรkuuanไปถึงbpai-tʉ̌ngสนามบินsà-nǎam-binก่อนเวลาgɔ̀ɔn-wee-laaอย่างน้อยyàang-nɔ́ɔiสองsɔ̌ɔngชั่วโมงchûua-moong
We should arrive at the airport at least two hours early.
ถ้าtâaฝนตกหนักfǒn-dtòk-nàkคุณควรkun-kuuanพกpókร่มrômและlɛ́ใส่sàiรองเท้าrɔɔng-táaoกันลื่นgan-lʉ̂ʉn
If it rains heavily, you should bring an umbrella and wear non-slip shoes.
เพื่อpʉ̂ʉaความปลอดภัยkwaam-bplɔ̀ɔt-paiผู้โดยสารpûu-dooi-sǎanควรkuuanคาดkâatเข็มขัดkěm-kàtตลอดการเดินทางdtà-lɔ̀ɔt-gaan-dəən-taang
For safety, passengers should wear seat belts throughout the journey.
2AdjectiveB1

appropriate; proper; suitable

fitting or suitable for a person, time, or situation; deserving

Examples

ชุดchútชุดchút1set; collection2outfit; suit; uniform3classifier for sets/outfits/equipment4series; batchนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ดูduuดูduu1[to] look; watch; see2[to] examine; check; inspect3[to] seem; appear4try; have a go5[to] divine; tell fortuneสุภาพsù-pâapสุภาพsù-pâap1polite; courteous2gentle; mild (manner/speech)3proper; refined; respectableและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)ควรkuuanควรkuuan1should; ought to2appropriate; proper; suitable3[to] deserve; be worthy ofกับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)งานศพngaan-sòpงานศพngaan-sòpfuneral; funeral rites
This outfit looks respectful and fitting for a funeral.
3 more examples
ของขวัญkŏng kwănเรียบๆrîiap rîiapแบบนี้bàep néeควรkuuanกับgàpบุคลิกbùk-ká-líkของเขาkŏng kăoมากกว่าmâak gwàaอะไรà-raiที่têeหรูหราrŏo-răa
A simple gift like this is more suitable for his personality than something luxurious.
คำพูดkam-pûutที่tîiเป็นทางการbpen-taang-gaanเหมาะสมmɔ̀-sǒmและlɛ́ควรkuuanกับgàpการประชุมgaan-bprà-chumผู้บริหารpûu-bɔɔ-rí-hǎanมากกว่าmâak-gwàaการใช้ภาษาgaan-chái-paa-sǎaพูดเล่นpûut-lên
Formal language would be suitable for an executive meeting rather than casual speech.
เราraoควรkuuanเลือกlʉ̂ʉakช่วงเวลาchûuang-wee-laaและlɛ́สถานที่sà-tǎan-tîiที่tîiควรkuuanแก่gɛ̀ɛการขอgaan-kɔ̌ɔคำปรึกษาkam-bprʉ̀k-sǎaเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiคู่สนทนาkûu-sǒn-tá-naaรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀kสบายใจsà-baai-jai
We should choose a time and place appropriate for seeking advice so the interlocutor feels comfortable.
3VerbB2

[to] deserve; be worthy of

To merit or be worthy of something, as in ควรแก่การยกย่อง (worthy of praise) or ควรได้รับ (deserve to receive).

Examples

เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillทำงานหนักtam-ngaan-nàkทำงานหนักtam-ngaan-nàk1[to] work hard2[to] be under heavy loadมาตลอดmaa-dtà-lɔ̀ɔtมาตลอดmaa-dtà-lɔ̀ɔtall along; continuouslyปีนี้bpii-níiปีนี้bpii-níi1this year2this year; during the current yearเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillควรkuuanควรkuuan1should; ought to2appropriate; proper; suitable3[to] deserve; be worthy ofได้รับdâi-rápได้รับdâi-ráp1[to] receive; get; obtain; be given/granted/awarded2[to] experience; be subjected to; suffer; sustain; be affected by3[to] be ...-ed (passive with ได้รับ/ได้รับการ)โบนัสboo-nátโบนัสboo-nát1bonus (extra pay/reward)2bonus (extra benefit/perk)ก้อนโตgɔ̂ɔn-dtooก้อนโตgɔ̂ɔn-dtoobig lump; large chunk
He has worked hard all along; this year he deserves a big bonus.
3 more examples
หลังจากlǎng-jàakช่วยเหลือchûuai-lʉ̌ʉaชุมชนchum-chonมาmaaหลายlǎaiปีbpiiเธอtəəควรkuuanได้รับdâi-rápคำชื่นชมkam-chʉ̂ʉn-chomจากjàakทุกคนtúk-kon
After helping the community for many years, she deserves praise from everyone.
คนkonที่têeโกงgohngข้อสอบkôr sòpไม่ควรmâi kuuanได้รับdâi rápรางวัลraang-wanใดdaiๆ-เพราะpráwมันmanไม่ยุติธรรมmâi yú-dtì-tamต่อdtòคนอื่นkon èun
People who cheat on exams do not deserve any awards because it’s unfair to others.
ผู้เสียหายpûu-sǐia-hǎaiควรkuuanได้รับdâi-rápการชดเชยgaan-chót-chəəiอย่างเหมาะสมyàang-mɔ̀-sǒmเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสะท้อนsà-tɔ́ɔnความสูญเสียkwaam-sǔun-sǐiaที่tîiเกิดขึ้นgə̀ət-kʉ̂nจริงjing
The victims deserve appropriate compensation to reflect the actual losses incurred.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classLow class
  2. Tone markNo tone mark
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ร, a sonorant, so it is live.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

Mid tone

kuuan

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 classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

Related Words

Similar Meaning

สมควรsǒm-kuuanสมควรsǒm-kuuan1appropriate; fitting; proper2[to] ought to; should (be appropriate)
  • appropriate; fitting; proper
  • [to] ought to; should (be appropriate)
ควรจะkuuan-jàควรจะkuuan-jà1should; ought to (advice/duty/appropriateness)2be supposed/expected to; should (by rule, plan, or normal circumstances)
  • should; ought to (advice/duty/appropriateness)
  • be supposed/expected to; should (by rule, plan, or normal circumstances)
น่าจะnâa-jàน่าจะnâa-jà1probably; likely2be expected; should (probability)3might be a good idea (suggestion)4should have (regret/criticism)
  • probably; likely
  • be expected; should (probability)
  • might be a good idea (suggestion)
  • should have (regret/criticism)
ดีกว่าdii-gwàaดีกว่าdii-gwàa1better; preferable (comparative of 'ดี')2had better; would rather (suggestion/decision)
  • better; preferable (comparative of 'ดี')
  • had better; would rather (suggestion/decision)
พึงpʉngพึงpʉng[modal] should; ought to

[modal] should; ought to