คำสูง
kam-sǔungMeaning
1NounC1
royal term; polite term for Buddhist monks
A word used in royal language, or a polite word used when speaking to or about Buddhist monks.
Examples
ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)อธิบายà-tí-baaiอธิบายà-tí-baai[to] explain; clarifyว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)คำสูงkam-sǔungคำสูงkam-sǔungroyal term; polite term for Buddhist monksที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderแทนtɛɛnแทนtɛɛn1instead; rather2[to] replace; substitute for3in place of; on behalf ofกินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] take medicine (colloquial)4[to] consume; use up5[to] corrode; erode; eat into6[to] take (a bribe); pocket7[to] capture; take (a piece in a board game)เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaเมื่อmʉ̂ʉa1when; at the time that2at; in; on (with time expressions)พูดถึงpûut-tʉ̌ngพูดถึงpûut-tʉ̌ng1talk about; mention; bring up2speaking of ...; regarding ...พระสงฆ์prá-sǒngพระสงฆ์prá-sǒng1the monastic order; Buddhist clergy2a monk (formal/literary)
The teacher explained that “chan” is an honorific word used instead of “eat” when referring to Buddhist monks.
3 more examplesShow less
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaรายงานข่าวraai-ngaan-kàaoเกี่ยวกับgìiao-gàpพระมหากษัตริย์prá-má-hǎa-gà-sàtผู้เขียนpûu-kǐianต้องเลือกdtɔ̂ng-lʉ̂ʉakใช้cháiคำสูงkam-sǔungเช่นchênเสวยsà-wə̌əiแทนtɛɛnคำว่าkam-wâaกินginให้hâiเหมาะกับmɔ̀-gàpเนื้อหาnʉ́ʉa-hǎa
When reporting news about the king, writers must choose appropriate royal vocabulary, such as the royal term for “eat” rather than the ordinary word.
ผู้แปลpûu-bplɛɛต้องdtɔ̂ngพิจารณาpí-jaa-rá-naaฐานันดรศักดิ์tǎa-nan-dɔɔn-sàkของkɔ̌ɔngบุคคลbùk-konในnaiเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเลือกใช้คำlʉ̂ʉak-chái-kamสูงsǔungมิใช่mí-châiใช้cháiเสวยsà-wə̌əiหรือrʉ̌ʉบรรทมban-tomกับgàpตัวละครdtuua-lá-kɔɔnทุกคนtúk-konเพียงpiiangเพราะprɔ́ต้องการdtɔ̂ng-gaanให้hâiสำนวนsǎm-nuuanดูสง่างามduu-sà-ngàa-ngaam
Translators must consider a person's rank before choosing royal vocabulary, rather than using the royal terms for “eat” or “sleep” for every character merely to make the prose sound elegant.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaนำnamบทสนทนาbòt-sǒn-tá-naaระหว่างrá-wàangชาวบ้านchaao-bâanกับgàpพระสงฆ์prá-sǒngมาmaaเรียบเรียงrîiap-riiangผู้เขียนpûu-kǐianคงkongคำสูงkam-sǔungอย่างyàangฉันchǎnและlɛ́จำวัดjam-wátไว้wáiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaรักษาrák-sǎaระดับrá-dàpภาษาpaa-sǎaและlɛ́ความเคารพkwaam-kao-rópที่tîiปรากฏbpraa-gòtในnaiต้นฉบับdtôn-chà-bàp
When editing the conversation between villagers and monks, the writer retained honorific terms such as those for “eat” and “sleep” to preserve the register and respect expressed in the original.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is คำสูง said คัม-สูง?
kam-sǔung
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 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
+
สูงsǔungสูงsǔung1tall; high (physical height)2high (degree/level/price/rank)3up; to a high position4advanced; elevated (abstract)tall; high (physical height)Part 2
คำสูงkam-sǔungคำสูงkam-sǔungroyal term; polite term for Buddhist monksroyal term; polite term for Buddhist monksWord