งูเห่า
nguu-hàoMeanings
1NounA2
cobra
a cobra, a venomous snake recognizable by its hood
Examples
เมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉnเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉn1last night (the night before today)2last nightฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asงูเห่าnguu-hàoงูเห่าnguu-hào1cobra2turncoat (Thai politics, informal)ตรงdtrongตรงdtrong1straight (not bent)2directly; straight (direction/path)3direct; straightforward; frank4[to] be straight; align5exact; matching; corresponding6[to] head straight toward [sb/sth/somewhere]สวนหลังบ้านsǔuan-lǎng-bâanสวนหลังบ้านsǔuan-lǎng-bâanbackyard; back garden
Last night I saw a cobra in the backyard garden.
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อย่าyàaเข้าใกล้kâo-glâiงูเห่าnguu-hàoเพราะprɔ́มันmanมีพิษmii-pítร้ายแรงráai-rɛɛngและlɛ́จะjàกางgaangแผ่pɛ̀ɛแม่เบี้ยmɛ̂ɛ-bîiaเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaโกรธgròot
Don’t approach a cobra, because it is highly venomous and will flare its hood when angry.
พ่อpôrเล่าlâoว่าwâaหากhàakเจอjerงูเห่าngoo hàoให้hâiค่อยๆkôi kôiถอยหลังtŏi lăngและláeหาhăaที่têeปลอดภัยbplòt pai
Dad said that if you encounter a cobra, slowly back away and find a safe place.
เจ้าหน้าที่กู้ภัยjâao-nâa-tîi-gûu-paiมาช่วยmaa-chûuaiจับjàpงูเห่าnguu-hàoที่tîiเลื้อยlʉ́ʉaiเข้าบ้านkâo-bâanโดยdooiไม่mâiทำร้ายtam-ráaiมันman
Rescue workers came to catch the cobra that slithered into the house without harming it.
2NounB2
turncoat (Thai politics, informal)
in Thai politics, a politician who betrays their party and switches sides
Examples
หลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: bed; bed-like platform6CL: building; house; structureการโหวตgaan-wòotการโหวตgaan-wòotvoting; a voteเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉnเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉn1last night (the night before today)2last nightมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoสมาชิกสภาผู้แทนราษฎรsà-maa-chík-sà-paa-pûu-tɛɛn-râat-sà-dɔɔnสมาชิกสภาผู้แทนราษฎรsà-maa-chík-sà-paa-pûu-tɛɛn-râat-sà-dɔɔnMember of Parliament; MPถูกtùukถูกtùuk1cheap; inexpensive2correct; right3[to] touch; come into contact with [sb/sth]4to be correct/right5proper; morally right6[to] be affected; suffer (often adverse)7passive marker (often adverse)ตราdtraaตราdtraa1emblem; seal; insignia2brand; trademark3[to] stamp; [to] affix seal4medal; order (decoration)5[to] brand; [to] mark6[to] promulgate; [to] issue (a law/decree)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)งูเห่าnguu-hàoงูเห่าnguu-hào1cobra2turncoat (Thai politics, informal)เพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingหักhàkหักhàk1[to] break; snap2broken; snapped3[to] deduct; withhold4[to] swerve; turn the wheel sharply5[to] bend; fold back6minus; lessมติmá-dtìมติmá-dtìresolution; formal decisionพรรคpákพรรคpák1political party2faction; group (organized)
After last night's vote, an MP was labeled a traitor for breaking the party's resolution.
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ชาวเน็ตchaao-nétวิจารณ์wí-jaanแรงrɛɛngว่าwâaใครkraiทำtamแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiก็gɔ̂เป็นbpenงูเห่าnguu-hàoไม่ควรmâi-kuuanกลับglàpเข้าkâoสภาsà-paa
Netizens harshly criticized that anyone who does this is a turncoat and shouldn’t return to the parliament.
พรรคpákรีบrîipสอบสวนsɔ̀ɔp-sǔuanสมาชิกsà-maa-chíkที่tîiถูกtùukกล่าวหาglàao-hǎaเป็นbpenงูเห่าnguu-hàoเพราะprɔ́เสียงข้างมากsǐiang-kâang-mâakสั่นคลอนsàn-klɔɔn
The party quickly investigated the members accused of being turncoats because the majority was shaken.
นักวิเคราะห์nák-wí-krɔ́เตือนdtʉʉanว่าการwâa-gaanรับrápงูเห่าnguu-hàoเข้าร่วมkâo-rûuamรัฐบาลrát-tà-baanอาจàatสร้างsâangความไม่ไว้วางใจkwaam-mâi-wái-waang-jaiระยะยาวrá-yá-yaao
Analysts warn that bringing turncoats into the government may create long-term distrust.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
nguu
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
+
เห่าhàoเห่าhào1[to] bark2bark (dog sound)3[to] bark at [sb]; snap at4[to] yap; nag; mouth off (fig.)[to] barkPart 2
งูเห่าnguu-hàoงูเห่าnguu-hàocobracobraWord