คำลหุ
kam-lá-hùMeaning
1NounC1
light syllable
a light syllable or short syllable in Thai prosody, typically consisting of a short vowel without a final consonant
Examples
วันนี้wan néeวันนี้wan née1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)วิชาภาษาไทยwí-chaa paa-săa taiวิชาภาษาไทยwí-chaa paa-săa taiThai language (subject)เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)เรียนriianเรียนriian1[to] study; learn2[to] take (a course/subject)3[to] respectfully inform; address (formal)เรื่องrêuuangเรื่องrêuuang1matter; issue; subject2story; tale3classifier for stories/films/cases4about; regarding (as a topic marker)คำลหุkam lá-hùคำลหุkam lá-hùlight syllableและláeและláeand (coordinating)คำkamคำkam1word; term2classifier for words/utterances3speech; saying; utteranceครุkruครุkru1grave; serious (formal)2heavy (formal)
Today in Thai class, we learned about light and heavy syllables.
3 more examplesShow less
การแต่งgaan-dtɛ̀ngฉันท์chǎnประเภทbprà-pêetนี้níiต้องdtɔ̂ngรู้rúuตำแหน่งdtam-nɛ̀ngการวางgaan-waangคำลหุkam-lá-hùให้hâiถูกต้องtùuk-dtɔ̂ng
To compose this type of poem, one must know the correct placement of light syllables.
ฉันทลักษณ์chăn-tá-lákของkŏngอินทรวิเชียรฉันท์in-tá-rá-wí-chian chănกำหนดgam-nòtให้hâiพยางค์pá-yaangที่สามtêe săamของkŏngวรรคหน้าwák nâaต้องdtôngเป็นbpenคำลหุkam lá-hùเสมอsà-mĕr
The prosodic rules of the Intarawichian Chant dictate that the third syllable of the first hemistich must always be a light syllable.
การสรรหาgaan-sǎn-hǎaคำลหุkam-lá-hùที่tîiมีความหมายmii-kwaam-mǎaiลึกซึ้งlʉ́k-sʉ́ngมาใช้maa-cháiในnaiการประพันธ์gaan-bprà-panถือเป็นtʉ̌ʉ-bpenความท้าทายkwaam-táa-taaiอย่างยิ่งyàang-yîngสำหรับsǎm-ràpกวีgà-wii
Selecting light syllables that convey profound meaning for use in poetry is highly challenging for poets.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is คำลหุ said คัม-ละ-หุ?
kam-lá-hù
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
3 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
kam
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
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คำลหุkam-lá-hùคำลหุkam-lá-hùlight syllablelight syllableWord