ค่อย
kɔ̂iMeanings
1AdverbB1
gradually; little by little
in a slow, step-by-step manner; not all at once
Examples
เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ค่อยkɔ̂iค่อยkɔ̂i1gradually; little by little2gently; softly3not very; hardly (with negation)4then; later; only afterทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeทีละขั้นtii-lá-kânทีละขั้นtii-lá-kânstep by stepจะได้jà-dâaiจะได้jà-dâai1so that; in order that; that way2will be able to; get to; come to3then; so (result in instructions/explanations)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)พลาดplâatพลาดplâat1[to] miss; fail to catch; fail to attend2[to] make a mistake; slip up3mistaken; in error
We’ll do it step by step so we won’t make mistakes.
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เขาkăoค่อยkôiเพิ่มน้ำหนักpêrm nám-nàkในnaiการออกกำลังกายgaan òk gam-lang gaaiสัปดาห์sàp-daaละนิดlá nít
He gradually increases the weight in his workouts, a little each week.
โครงการkrohng gaanนี้néeต้องdtôngค่อยkôiๆ-ดำเนินไปdam-nern bpaiตามdtaamแผนpăenไม่รีบmâi rêepสรุปผลsà-rùp pŏn
This project must proceed gradually according to the plan, without rushing to conclusions.
เราraoค่อยkôiๆ-ปรับbpràpกระบวนการgrà-buan-gaanจากjàakจุดjùtเล็กlékๆ-ไปสู่bpai sòoทั้งtángระบบrá-bòpเพื่อpêuuaหลีกเลี่ยงlèek lîangความเสี่ยงkwaam sìiang
We gradually adjust the process from small points to the whole system to avoid risks.
2AdverbB1
gently; softly
in a gentle, careful, or quiet manner
Examples
ช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]ยกyókยกyók1[to] lift; raise2[to] give; dedicate; donate3[to] promote; elevate (rank/status)4[to] cite; invoke (as an example/reason)5classifier: round6[to] waive; remit; dismissกล่องglòngกล่องglòng1box; case; container2classifier: boxes; box-shaped containersนี้néeนี้née1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เบาๆbao baoเบาๆbao bao1gently; softly; quietly; lightly; slightly; mildly2casually; in a relaxed way; not too seriouslyนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particleหนักnàkหนักnàk1heavy (weight)2serious; severe3heavily; severely; intensely4difficult; tough (mentally/physically demanding)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
Please lift this box gently; it's very heavy.
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เวลาwee-laaอุ้มûmน้องnɔ́ɔngให้hâiจับjàpคอkɔɔและlɛ́ศีรษะsǐi-sàอย่างเบามือyàang-bao-mʉʉไม่ให้mâi-hâiสะดุ้งsà-dûng
When holding the baby, gently support the neck and head to avoid startling them.
เปิดbpèrtประตูbprà-dtuuเบาๆbao baoหน่อยnòiเดี๋ยวdĭiaoเสียงดังsĭiang dangไปbpaiปลุกbplùkคนอื่นkon èun
Open the door quietly; otherwise the noise will wake others.
พนักงานเสิร์ฟpá-nák-ngaan-sə̀əpวางwaangแก้วไวน์gɛ̂ɛo-waaiอย่างเบามือyàang-bao-mʉʉและlɛ́เงียบกริบngîiap-grìpเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaไม่mâiรบกวนróp-guuanการประชุมgaan-bprà-chum
The server placed the wine glasses gently and silently so as not to disturb the meeting.
3AdverbB1
not very; hardly (with negation)
to only a small degree; scarcely; commonly used with negation (e.g., ไม่ค่อยไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂i1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree))
Examples
ช่วงนี้chûuang-níiช่วงนี้chûuang-níi1these days; lately; currently2this period (of time); the current periodฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂i1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree)สบายsà-baaiสบายsà-baai1comfortable; at ease2well; fine (health/state)3[to] be comfortable; feel at ease4easy; effortlessเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forพักpákพักpák1[to] rest; take a break2[to] stay; lodge3interval; stretch; spellที่บ้านtîi-bâanที่บ้านtîi-bâan1at home; at one’s residence2one’s family; people at home
These days I’m not very well, so I’ll rest at home.
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เขาkǎoไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iชอบchɔ̂ɔpไปbpaiงานสังคมngaan-sǎng-komเพราะprɔ́คนเยอะkon-yə́ทำให้tam-hâiเหนื่อยnʉ̀ʉai
He doesn’t much like going to social events because crowds make him tired.
The food at this place isn’t very rich, but the atmosphere is good.
ข้อเสนอkɔ̂ɔ-sà-nə̌əนี้níiไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iมีmiiจุดเด่นjùt-dènจึงjʉngยากyâakจะชนะjà-chá-náใจjaiคณะกรรมการká-ná-gam-má-gaan
This proposal has little to distinguish it, so it’s hard to win over the committee.
4AdverbB2
then; later; only after
used to show doing something afterward or only after a prior condition is met; often in spoken Thai (e.g., ค่อยไปค่อยไปkɔ̂i-bpai[to] go later; go then ‘go later/then’)
Examples
รอrɔɔรอrɔɔ1[to] wait2[to] wait for; awaitให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3[to] have [sb] do; cause to4for (benefit of)5so that; in order to6until; to the point that (result)ฝนfǒnฝนfǒn1rain2[to] file; grind; honeซาก่อนsaa-gɔ̀ɔnซาก่อนsaa-gɔ̀ɔnformerly; previously (archaic)ค่อยkɔ̂iค่อยkɔ̂i1gradually; little by little2gently; softly3not very; hardly (with negation)4then; later; only afterออกเดินทางɔ̀ɔk-dəən-taangออกเดินทางɔ̀ɔk-dəən-taang[to] set out; depart; leave on a trip
Wait for the rain to ease up first, then set out.
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Finish talking about work first, then we’ll go eat.
ถ้าtâaได้dâaiอนุมัติà-nú-mátแล้วlɛ́ɛoเราraoค่อยkɔ̂iเริ่มrə̂əmทำtamขั้นตอนkân-dtɔɔnถัดtàtไปตามbpai-dtaamแผนpɛ̌ɛn
Once it’s approved, we’ll proceed to the next step according to the plan.
ขอkɔ̌ɔรวบรวมข้อมูลrûuap-ruuam-kɔ̂ɔ-muunให้hâiครบkrópก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเดี๋ยวค่อยdǐiao-kɔ̂iสรุปsà-rùpและlɛ́นำเสนอnam-sà-nə̌əในnaiที่ประชุมtîi-bprà-chum
Let me gather all the information first; then I’ll summarize and present it in the meeting.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
kɔ̂i
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
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 | — | — |