ค่อย

kôi

Meanings

1NounB1

gradually; little by little

in a slow, step-by-step manner; not all at once

Examples

เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ค่อยkôiค่อยkôi1gradually; little by little2gently; softly3not very; hardly (with negation)4then; later; only afterทำทีtam teeทำทีtam tee[to] feign; make a pretenseละละ1[to] quit; give up; drop; let go (of)2[to] omit; leave out; skip3topic/softening particle4each; per (spoken)ขั้นkânขั้นkân1step; stair2stage; level; phase3classifier: steps/levels/stages4rank; grade; tierจะได้jà 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.
2NounB1

gently; softly

in a gentle, careful, or quiet manner

Examples

ช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1please (polite request)2[to] save; rescue [sb]3[to] help; assist [sb/sth]ยกyókยกyók1[to] cite; invoke (as an example/reason)2[to] hold; conduct (event/ceremony); stage (a bout)3[to] waive; exempt; suspend4classifier: bout; round5[to] give; dedicate; donate6[to] promote; elevate (rank/status)7[to] lift; raiseกล่องglòngกล่องglòng1box; 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 seriouslyนะนะ1[!] persuasive/confirming particle2[!] softener; friendly particle3[!] attention-getter (initial position)หนักnàkหนักnàk1heavy (weight)2difficult; tough (mentally/physically demanding)3heavily; severely; intensely4serious; severeมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2many; numerous3much; a lot; greatly
Please lift this box gently; it's very heavy.
3NounB1

not very; hardly (with negation)

to only a small degree; scarcely; commonly used with negation (e.g., ไม่ค่อยไม่ค่อยmâi kôi1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree))

Examples

ช่วงนี้chûuang néeช่วงนี้chûuang née1these days; lately; currently2this period (of time); the current periodฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me (1st person pronoun)2[to] eat (polite/old-fashioned)ไม่ค่อยmâi kôiไม่ค่อยmâi kôi1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree)สบายsà-baaiสบายsà-baai1comfortable; at ease2well; fine (health/state)3[to] relax; take it easy4easy; effortlessเลยloieเลยloie1so; thus; then (immediate result)2completely; absolutely (emphasis)3past; beyond; exceed4at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)ขอkŏrขอkŏr1[to] request; ask for [sth]2[to] beg; plead3[to] wish for; pray for4polite request markerพักpákพักpák1[to] rest; take a break2interval; stretch; spell3[to] stay; lodgeที่บ้านtêe bâanที่บ้านtêe bâan1at home; at one’s residence2one’s family; people at home
These days I’m not very well, so I’ll rest at home.
4NounB2

then; later; only after

used to show doing something afterward or only after a prior condition is met; often in spoken Thai (e.g., ค่อยไปค่อยไปkôi bpai1[to] go later; do it later2see you later (set phrase) ‘go later/then’)

Examples

รอrorรอror1[to] wait2[to] wait for; awaitให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] have [sb] do; cause to3for (benefit of)4so that; in order to5until; to the point that (result)6[to] allow; let; permitฝนfŏnฝนfŏn1rain2[to] file; grind; honeซาก่อนsaa gònซาก่อนsaa gònformerly; previously (archaic)ค่อยkôiค่อยkôi1gradually; little by little2gently; softly3not very; hardly (with negation)4then; later; only afterออกเดินทางòk dern taangออกเดินทางòk dern taang1[to] set out; depart; leave on a trip2(of transport) [to] depart
Wait for the rain to ease up first, then set out.