ชะนี
chá-niiMeanings
1NounA2
gibbon (ape)
A small arboreal ape native to Southeast Asia, known for long arms and loud calls; gibbon.
Examples
ชะนีchá-niiชะนีchá-nii1gibbon (ape)2woman (slang, often derog.)อยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainบนbonบนbon1on; upon; in; above2upper; top3[to] vow (at a shrine)ต้นไม้dtôn-máaiต้นไม้dtôn-máai1tree2plants/greenery (general, esp. woody plants)
The gibbon is on the tree.
3 more examplesShow less
I heard the call of a gibbon when I went hiking in the forest.
เมื่อวานนี้mʉ̂ʉa-waan-níiเราraoไปbpaiสวนสัตว์sǔuan-sàtและlɛ́เห็นhěnชะนีchá-niiแขนยาวkɛ̌ɛn-yaaoมากmâak
Yesterday we went to the zoo and saw a gibbon with very long arms.
ชะนีchá-niiเป็นbpenสัตว์ป่าคุ้มครองsàt-bpàa-kúm-krɔɔngที่tîiใกล้glâiสูญพันธุ์sǔun-panเนื่องจากnʉ̂ʉang-jàakการบุกรุกgaan-bùk-rúkพื้นที่ป่าpʉ́ʉn-tîi-bpàa
Gibbons are a protected species, endangered due to forest encroachment.
2NounB2
woman (slang, often derog.)
A slang term for a woman, especially used in Thai LGBTQ speech; it can be teasing or derogatory depending on context.
Examples
เพื่อนpêuuanเพื่อนpêuuan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowผู้ชายpôo chaaiผู้ชายpôo chaai1man; male (person)2boyfriend; male romantic partner (informal)ของฉันkŏng chănของฉันkŏng chănmy; mineชอบchôpชอบchôp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)บ่นbònบ่นbòn1to complain; grumble2to nagว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeพวกpûuakพวกpûuak1group; set; category2gang; faction; clique3those; the ... ones (pluralizing prefix)4pluralizing prefix before pronouns or names5classifier for groups or kindsชะนีchá-neeชะนีchá-nee1gibbon (ape)2woman (slang, often derog.)นี่nêeนี่nêe1this (colloq.)2this; this one (pronoun)3here4here is…; look/listen (attention-getter)5you see; after all (colloq.)เรื่องเยอะrêuuang yérเรื่องเยอะrêuuang yér1fussy; high-maintenance; complicated2complicated (of a situation/process)จริงๆjing jingจริงๆjing jing1really; truly; actually; indeed2really?!; seriously?!เวลาway-laaเวลาway-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesแฟนfaenแฟนfaen1romantic partner2fan; supporterเขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillโกรธgròhtโกรธgròht1angry; mad2[to] be angry (at/with/about)
My male friend likes to complain, "These 'chanees' are so dramatic," when his girlfriend is angry.
3 more examplesShow less
เธอtəəไม่ชอบmâi-chɔ̂ɔpให้hâiใครkraiมาmaaเรียกrîiakเธอtəəว่าwâaชะนีchá-niiเพราะprɔ́รู้สึกว่าrúu-sʉ̀k-wâaเป็นbpenการดูถูกgaan-duu-tùukผู้หญิงpûu-yǐng
She doesn't like anyone calling her a 'chanee' because she feels it's derogatory towards women.
คำว่าkam-wâaชะนีchá-niiในnaiบริบทbɔɔ-rí-bòtนี้níiมักmákถูกtùukใช้cháiในnaiกลุ่มเพื่อนglùm-pʉ̂ʉanผู้ชายpûu-chaaiหรือrʉ̌ʉกลุ่มglùmคนkonหลากหลายlàak-lǎaiทางเพศtaang-pêetเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaกล่าวถึงglàao-tʉ̌ngผู้หญิงpûu-yǐngในnaiเชิงลบchəəng-lópหรือrʉ̌ʉติดตลกdtìt-dtà-lòk
The word 'chanee' in this context is often used among groups of men or LGBTQ+ friends to refer to women in a negative or joking manner.
พอpɔɔเห็นhěnกลุ่มglùmผู้หญิงpûu-yǐngกำลังgam-langแต่งหน้าdtɛ̀ng-nâaถ่ายรูปtàai-rûupกันganเสียงดังsǐiang-dangเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂กระซิบgrà-sípกับgàpเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanว่าwâaดูduuฝูงfǔungชะนีchá-niiนั่นnânสิsì
When he saw the group of women loudly putting on makeup and taking photos, he whispered to his friend, "Look at that flock of 'chanees'."
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 | — | — |