ชะตา
chá-dtaaMeanings
1NounB1
fate; destiny
the predetermined course of events in a person’s life; fate or destiny
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâa[to] believe (that) ...ชะตาพาchá-dtaa-paaชะตาพาchá-dtaa-paafate leads; destiny guidesให้เราhâi-raoให้เราhâi-rao1[to] give us; [to] give me2for us; for me3let us; allow me/usได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerพบกันpóp-ganพบกันpóp-gan[to] meet; [to] see each other
He believes that fate brought us together.
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ฉันchǎnยอมรับyɔɔm-rápว่าwâaบางครั้งbaang-krángชะตาchá-dtaaกำหนดgam-nòtทางเลือกtaang-lʉ̂ʉakชีวิตchii-wítของเราkɔ̌ɔng-rao
I accept that sometimes destiny determines the choices in our lives.
เธอtəəรู้สึกว่าrúu-sʉ̀k-wâaชะตาพาchá-dtaa-paaให้hâiเธอtəəต้องdtɔ̂ngย้ายyáaiเมืองmʉʉangเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเริ่มต้นใหม่rə̂əm-dtôn-mài
She feels that destiny led her to move cities to start anew.
แม้mɛ́ɛเราraoจะjàวางแผนwaang-pɛ̌ɛnอย่างรอบคอบyàang-rɔ̂ɔp-kɔ̂ɔpชะตาchá-dtaaก็gɔ̂มักmákแทรกแซงsɛ̂ɛk-sɛɛngให้hâiเรื่องราวrʉ̂ʉang-raaoพลิกplíkไปbpaiอีกìikทางtaang
Even when we plan carefully, fate often intervenes and turns the story another way.
2NounB1
fortune; luck
one’s fortune or luck, especially whether things will turn out well or badly (often in astrology/omens)
Examples
ปีนี้bpii-níiปีนี้bpii-níi1this year2this year; during the current yearหมอดูmɔ̌ɔ-duuหมอดูmɔ̌ɔ-duufortune-teller; seerบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatชะตาการงานchá-dtaa-gaan-ngaanชะตาการงานchá-dtaa-gaan-ngaancareer fortune; work destinyของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnmy; mineจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ดีขึ้นdii-kʉ̂nดีขึ้นdii-kʉ̂n1[to] improve; get better2better; improved3better (to a greater degree)
This year the fortune-teller said my work luck will improve.
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ตอนเช้าdtɔɔn-cháoแม่mɛ̂ɛไปbpaiไหว้พระwâai-práเพราะprɔ́เชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaชะตาchá-dtaaของkɔ̌ɔngบ้านเราbâan-raoจะjàดีขึ้นdii-kʉ̂nถ้าtâaทำบุญtam-bun
In the morning Mom went to pay respects at the temple because she believes our household’s fortune will improve if we make merit.
เขาkǎoตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jaiเปลี่ยนงานbplìian-ngaanหลังจากlǎng-jàakเช็กchékดวงduuangแล้วlɛ́ɛoเห็นว่าhěn-wâaชะตาchá-dtaaช่วงนี้chûuang-níiเหมาะกับmɔ̀-gàpการเริ่มต้นใหม่gaan-rə̂əm-dtôn-mài
He decided to change jobs after checking his horoscope and seeing that his fortune is suitable for new beginnings right now.
หมอดูmɔ̌ɔ-duuเตือนdtʉʉanว่าwâaชะตาchá-dtaaการเงินgaan-ngənมีmiiเกณฑ์geenผันผวนpǎn-pǔuanจึงjʉngควรkuuanวางแผนwaang-pɛ̌ɛnรอบคอบrɔ̂ɔp-kɔ̂ɔpและlɛ́หลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangการgaanเสี่ยงโชคsìiang-chôok
The fortune-teller warned that financial luck is likely to fluctuate, so careful planning and avoiding gambling are advised.
3NounB2
life; lifespan (set phrase)
used in set expressions to refer to life or lifespan (e.g., ชะตาขาด = life is at an end; doomed)
Examples
หมอmɔ̌ɔหมอmɔ̌ɔ1doctor; physician2veterinarian3expert; specialist (informal)4traditional healer; shamanบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatอาการaa-gaanอาการaa-gaan1symptom2state; condition3manner; comportmentหนักnàkหนักnàk1heavy (weight)2serious; severe3heavily; severely; intensely4difficult; tough (mentally/physically demanding)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofคนไข้kon-kâiคนไข้kon-kâipatient (medical)เหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughชะตาchá-dtaaชะตาchá-dtaa1fate; destiny2fortune; luck3life; lifespan (set phrase)ขาดkàatขาดkàat1[to] lack; be without2[to] be short of; run short of; run out of3[to] be torn; tear; rip4lacking; deficient5[to] be absent; miss (an occurrence)6[to] be cut off; be severed
The doctor said the condition is so severe that the patient seems at the end of their life.
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ทหารtá-hǎanในnaiสนามรบsà-nǎam-rópรู้rúuดีว่าdii-wâaอาจàatถึงคราวtʉ̌ng-kraaoชะตาchá-dtaaขาดkàatได้dâaiทุกเมื่อtúk-mʉ̂ʉa
Soldiers on the battlefield know their life could end at any moment.
พอpɔɔรถrótเสียsǐiaเบรกbrèekกลางglaangดอยdɔɔiทุกคนtúk-konคิดว่าkít-wâaนี่nîiคงkongเป็นbpenวินาทีwí-naa-tiiชะตาchá-dtaaขาดkàat
When the car’s brakes failed on the mountain, everyone thought this might be the moment their life ends.
เขาkǎoรอดตายrɔ̂ɔt-dtaaiอย่างyàangหวุดหวิดwùt-wìtจากjàakอุบัติเหตุù-bàt-dtì-hèetที่tîiหลายคนlǎai-konฟันธงfan-tongว่าwâaชะตาchá-dtaaขาดkàatแน่นอนnɛ̂ɛ-nɔɔn
He narrowly survived an accident that many were certain would end his life.
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 endingDead syllableShort vowelA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
High tone
chá
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Low class + No tone mark + Dead syllable · Short vowel → High
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
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ชะตาchá-dtaaชะตาchá-dtaafate; destinyfate; destinyWord