ฉันโท
chǎn-tooMeanings
1NounC2
chanting pitch: tho level
the 'tho' level or register in traditional Thai chanting or recitation, above the 'ek' level and below the 'tri' level (used in classical Thai performing arts)
Examples
ครูสอนkruu sŏnให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)นักเรียนnák riianนักเรียนnák riianschool student; pupilขับkàpขับkàp1[to] drive; operate (a vehicle)2[to] expel; drive out; repel3[to] sing; chant (traditional)4[to] excrete; secrete; emitเสภาsăy-paaเสภาsăy-paa1Thai verse form (sepha)2sepha chanting/recitativeในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ระดับrá-dàpระดับrá-dàp1level; degree2standard; tier; rank3classifier for levels or grades4level (tool); spirit levelฉันโทchăn-tohฉันโทchăn-toh1chanting pitch: tho level2poetic/metrical grade: chan thoซึ่งsêungซึ่งsêung1which; that (relative pronoun)2which/and this; introducing explanationสูงกว่าsŏong gwàaสูงกว่าsŏong gwàa1taller; higher (height/elevation)2higher; greater than (level/amount)เอeเอehmm; well; huhกราวgraaoกราวgraao1resounding; loud and repeated2spread all over; scattered (literary)หนึ่งnèungหนึ่งnèung1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostขั้นkânขั้นkân1step; stair2stage; level; phase3classifier: steps/levels/stages4rank; grade; tier
The teacher taught students to chant sepha in the chan-tho register, which is about one level above ek.
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ในnaiบทไหว้ครูbòt-wâi-kruuผู้ขับpûu-kàpเลือกใช้lʉ̂ʉak-cháiฉันโทchǎn-tooเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaยกระดับyók-rá-dàpอารมณ์aa-romก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเปลี่ยนbplìianขึ้นไปkʉ̂n-bpaiสู่sùuฉันchǎnตรีdtrii
In the wai khru chant, the performer chose the chan-tho register to elevate the mood before shifting up to chan-tri.
การรักษาgaan-rák-sǎaจังหวะjang-wàและlɛ́น้ำเสียงnáam-sǐiangในnaiฉันโทchǎn-tooต้องdtɔ̂ngประณีตbprà-nîitมิฉะนั้นmí-chà-nánช่วงchûuangรอยต่อrɔɔi-dtɔ̀ɔกับgàpฉันchǎnเอกèekจะjàฟังfangสะดุดsà-dùt
Maintaining rhythm and tone in the chan-tho register must be meticulous; otherwise, the transition to ek will sound jarring.
ครูkruuดนตรีไทยdon-dtrii-taiชี้ว่าchíi-wâaการเปล่งเสียงgaan-bplèeng-sǐiangฉันโทchǎn-tooอย่างหนักyàang-nàkแน่นnɛ̂nแต่dtɛ̀ɛไม่mâiแข็งทื่อkɛ̌ng-tʉ̂ʉคือkʉʉหัวใจhǔua-jaiของkɔ̌ɔngการขับgaan-kàpเสภาsěe-paaชั้นครูchán-kruu
The Thai music master pointed out that projecting the chan-tho register firmly yet without stiffness is the heart of masterful sepha chanting.
2NounC2
poetic/metrical grade: chan tho
a traditional Thai metrical or stylistic grade called 'chan tho' used in classical poetics and prosody to classify forms or word levels
Examples
ตำรากลอนdtam-raa-glɔɔnตำรากลอนdtam-raa-glɔɔntreatise/manual on Thai poetryเก่าgàoเก่าgào1old; not new2former; previous3old-fashioned; outdatedจัดรูปแบบjàt-rûup-bɛ̀ɛpจัดรูปแบบjàt-rûup-bɛ̀ɛp[to] format [sth]คำkamคำkam1word; term2classifier for words/utterances3speech; saying; utteranceประพันธ์bprà-panประพันธ์bprà-pan[to] compose; author (literary/music)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ไว้wáiไว้wái1[to] keep; save; store2[to] set aside; reserve3for later; in reserve4[to] leave (something) as is5marks retention or maintenance of a state6[to] wear; sport (hair/moustache/etc.)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ระดับrá-dàpระดับrá-dàp1level; degree2standard; tier; rank3classifier for levels or grades4level (tool); spirit levelฉันโทchǎn-tooฉันโทchǎn-too1chanting pitch: tho level2poetic/metrical grade: chan thoตามdtaamตามdtaam1[to] follow; go after2according to; in accordance with3after; behind; in pursuit of4[to] comply with; abide by; obey5along; along (a path); following (direction)6[to] send for; fetch [sb]7[to] light; kindle (literary)หลักlàkหลักlàk1main; principal; primary2principle; basis; foundation3post; pillar; stake4classifier: posts; stakes; digit positionsฉันทลักษณ์chǎn-tá-lákฉันทลักษณ์chǎn-tá-lákprosody; metrical formไทยtaiไทยtai1Thai (language)2Thai; of Thailand3Thai person
The old poetic manual classifies this verse form at the Chan Tho level according to Thai prosodic rules.
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นักวิชาการnák-wí-chaa-gaanเสนอsà-nə̌əว่าwâaโคลงkloongบางbaangบทbòtใช้cháiถ้อยคำtɔ̂ɔi-kamระดับrá-dàpฉันโทchǎn-tooเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaรักษาrák-sǎaสัมผัสsǎm-pàtและlɛ́น้ำหนักnám-nàkจังหวะjang-wàให้hâiสม่ำเสมอsà-màm-sà-mə̌ə
Scholars suggest that some quatrains employ Chan Tho-level diction to maintain consistent rhyme and rhythmic weight.
อาจารย์aa-jaanเปรียบเทียบbprìiap tîiapฉันโทchăn-tohกับgàpชั้นchánอื่นèunๆ-เพื่อpêuuaชี้ให้เห็นchée hâi hĕnความละเอียดkwaam lá-ìiatในnaiจำนวนjam-nuuanพยางค์pá-yaangและláeรูปrôopวรรณยุกต์wan-ná-yúkที่têeบังคับbang-káp
The professor compared Chan Tho with other levels to highlight the subtleties in the required syllable counts and tonal patterns.
การยกระดับgaan yók-rá-dàpรสrótกวีgà-weeด้วยdûuayฉันโทchăn-tohมิใช่mí châiเพียงpiiangการเลือกgaan lêuuakศัพท์สูงsàp sŏongหากhàakคือkeuการวางgaan waangผังpăngจังหวะjang-wàอักขระàk-kà-ràและláeครุkruลหุlá-hùให้hâiประสานกันbprà-săan ganอย่างมีชั้นเชิงyàang mee chán cherng
Elevating poetic flavor through Chan Tho is not merely selecting elevated vocabulary, but arranging rhythmic schemes of characters and heavy–light syllables to harmonize with finesse.
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 classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -น, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
chǎn
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Rising
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
+
โทtooโทtoo1master’s degree level; graduate (M.A./M.S.)2Thai tone name (falling tone)3second; secondary4second class; second rank5minor (field of study)master’s degree level; graduate (M.A./M.S.)Part 2
ฉันโทchǎn-tooฉันโทchǎn-toochanting pitch: tho levelchanting pitch: tho levelWord