คอย
kɔɔiMeanings
1VerbA2
[to] wait (for [sb]/[sth])
To stay ready or delay action until someone arrives or something happens.
Examples
หนูnǔuหนูnǔu1mouse; rat2I; me (polite, childlike/feminine in Thai)3you (addressing a child/younger person)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)คอยkɔɔiคอยkɔɔi1[to] wait (for [sb]/[sth])2keep (doing); regularly (do)3[to] be on standby; be readyหน้าประตูnâa-bprà-dtuuหน้าประตูnâa-bprà-dtuuin front of the doorนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle
I will wait at the door.
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They told us to wait until the teacher arrives.
ฉันchǎnจะjàคอยkɔɔiดูduuสัญญาณsǎn-yaanจากjàakเธอtəəก่อนgɔ̀ɔnแล้วlɛ́ɛoค่อยkɔ̂iเริ่มrə̂əmประชุมbprà-chum
I will wait for your signal first, then start the meeting.
2AdverbB2
keep (doing); regularly (do)
Used before a verb to indicate repeated or sustained action, often involving attention, care, or readiness to act when needed.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillคอยkɔɔiคอยkɔɔi1[to] wait (for [sb]/[sth])2keep (doing); regularly (do)3[to] be on standby; be readyโทรหาtoo-hǎaโทรหาtoo-hǎa[to] call/phone [sb]พ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛparentsทุกtúkทุกtúk1every; each2every (interval/frequency)เย็นyenเย็นyen1cool; chilly2evening (late afternoon to dusk)3cool (personality); calm4[to] be cool; become coolเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉa1for; in order to2for the sake of; on behalf ofถามtǎamถามtǎam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateสารทุกข์sǎa-rá-túkสารทุกข์sǎa-rá-túktroubles; hardshipsสุขsùkสุขsùk1happiness; well-being2happy; content (formal/literary)ดิบdìpดิบdìp1raw (not cooked)2unripe3unprocessed; crude; raw (materials/emotions)4harsh; uncouth (behavior)
He keeps calling his parents every evening to check on them.
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ช่วงนี้chûuang néeฝนตกหนักfŏn dtòk nàkรถเมล์rót mayก็gâwคอยkoiมาmaaช้าcháaอยู่yòoเรื่อยๆrêuuai-rêuuai
Lately it’s been raining heavily, and the buses keep arriving late.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanคอยkɔɔiเตือนdtʉʉanพนักงานpá-nák-ngaanเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangความปลอดภัยkwaam-bplɔ̀ɔt-paiจนjonทุกคนtúk-konทำเป็นtam-bpenนิสัยní-sǎi
The manager keeps reminding employees about safety until it becomes a habit for everyone.
เขาkǎoคอยkɔɔiอัปเดตàp-dèetสถานการณ์sà-tǎa-ná-gaanในnaiแชตกลุ่มchɛ́t-glùmอย่างสม่ำเสมอyàang-sà-màm-sà-mə̌əเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiข้อมูลkɔ̂ɔ-muunตกหล่นdtòk-lòn
He continually updates the situation in the group chat to prevent any information from being missed.
3VerbB2
[to] be on standby; be ready
To be prepared and available to act when needed.
Examples
ทีมกู้ภัยtiim-gûu-paiทีมกู้ภัยtiim-gûu-pairescue team/SAR teamคอยkɔɔiคอยkɔɔi1[to] wait (for [sb]/[sth])2keep (doing); regularly (do)3[to] be on standby; be readyออกɔ̀ɔkออกɔ̀ɔk1[to] go out; exit; leave2out; outward3[in sports] out of bounds4[to] come out; appear; be issued5[to] produce; emit; put out6[to] pay; spend; disburse7[to] quit; resign8[to] issue; publish9successfully; out (indicating comprehension or discovery)ปฏิบัติการbpà-dtì-bàt-gaanปฏิบัติการbpà-dtì-bàt-gaan1operation; mission; action; operation (computing)2[to] operate; conduct an operationทันทีที่tan-tii-tîiทันทีที่tan-tii-tîias soon as; once; the moment thatมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoเหตุฉุกเฉินhèet-chùk-chə̌ənเหตุฉุกเฉินhèet-chùk-chə̌ənemergency
The rescue team stands by to deploy immediately whenever there is an emergency.
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พนักงานpá-nák-ngaanเวรweenกลางคืนglaang-kʉʉnคอยkɔɔiรับสายráp-sǎaiและlɛ́พร้อมprɔ́ɔmช่วยเหลือchûuai-lʉ̌ʉaลูกค้าlûuk-káaตลอดเวลาdtà-lɔ̀ɔt-wee-laa
The night-shift staff stand by to take calls and are ready to assist customers at all times.
หน่วยแพทย์nùuai-pɛ̂ɛtสนามsà-nǎamคอยkɔɔiประจำbprà-jamจุดjùtเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaพร้อมprɔ́ɔmให้hâiการปฐมพยาบาลgaan-bpà-tǒm-pá-yaa-baanหากhàakมีmiiผู้บาดเจ็บpûu-bàat-jèp
The field medical unit stands by at designated points, ready to provide first aid if anyone is injured.
วิศวกรwít-sà-wá-gɔɔnคอยkɔɔiเฝ้าfâoระบบrá-bòpและlɛ́พร้อมprɔ́ɔmแก้ไขgɛ̂ɛ-kǎiเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaเกิดgə̀ətความผิดปกติkwaam-pìt-bpòk-gà-dtìเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaป้องกันbpɔ̂ng-ganการหยุดชะงักgaan-yùt-chá-ngákของkɔ̌ɔngบริการbɔɔ-rí-gaan
Engineers stand by to monitor the system and are ready to fix issues when anomalies occur, to prevent service disruptions.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ย, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
kɔɔi
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 | — | — |