ชั่ว
chûuaMeanings
1AdjectiveB1
bad; poor (quality)
of poor quality; inferior or substandard
Examples
รองเท้าrɔɔng-táaoรองเท้าrɔɔng-táaoshoe; footwearคู่kûuคู่kûu1pair; couple2classifier for pairs3in pairs; double4[to] pair; matchนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ทำจากtam-jàakทำจากtam-jàak1[to] be made of/from [sth]2[to] make [sth] from [sth]วัสดุwát-sà-dùวัสดุwát-sà-dùmaterial; material(s)คุณภาพkun-ná-pâapคุณภาพkun-ná-pâapquality (standard; grade)ชั่วchûuaชั่วchûua1bad; poor (quality)2evil; wicked3for; throughout (a specified period)4classifier for periods of timeใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)ไม่นานmâi-naanไม่นานmâi-naan1soon; shortly2briefly; not for longก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerขาดkàatขาดkàat1[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
These shoes are made from inferior-quality material; they fall apart quickly.
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เขาkǎoบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaกล้องglɔ̂ngราคาถูกraa-kaa-tùukแต่dtɛ̀ɛภาพpâapออกมาɔ̀ɔk-maaชั่วchûuaจนjonใช้cháiทำงานtam-ngaanไม่ได้mâi-dâai
He said the camera was cheap, but the image quality was so inferior that it couldn’t be used for work.
งานพิมพ์ngaan-pimล็อตlɔ́tนี้níiหมึกmʉ̀kซีดsîitและlɛ́กระดาษgrà-dàatชั่วchûuaทำให้tam-hâiรายงานraai-ngaanดูduuไม่mâiเป็นbpenมืออาชีพmʉʉ-aa-chîip
This print batch has faded ink and substandard paper, making the report look unprofessional.
ถ้าtâaตัวกรองdtuua-grɔɔngน้ำnáamชั่วchûuaแม้mɛ́ɛติดตั้งdtìt-dtângระบบrá-bòpแพงpɛɛngแค่ไหนkɛ̂ɛ-nǎiน้ำnáamที่tîiได้dâaiก็gɔ̂ยังyangไม่mâiสะอาดsà-àatพอpɔɔ
If the water filter is inferior, no matter how expensive the system is, the water still won’t be clean enough.
2AdjectiveB2
evil; wicked
morally bad or depraved; wicked in character or action
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillถูกtùukถูกtùuk1cheap; inexpensive2correct; right3to be correct/right4proper; morally right5[to] be affected; suffer (often adverse)6passive marker (often adverse)ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanชาวบ้านchaao-bâan1villagers; locals; rural residents2ordinary people; laypeople; the public3folksy; colloquial; plain (as a modifier)ตราหน้าdtraa-nâaตราหน้าdtraa-nâa[to] stigmatize; brand [sb] (as ...)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)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringชั่วchûuaชั่วchûua1bad; poor (quality)2evil; wicked3for; throughout (a specified period)4classifier for periods of timeเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingเอาเปรียบao-bprìiapเอาเปรียบao-bprìiap[to] take advantage of; exploitคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringอ่อนแอɔ̀ɔn-ɛɛอ่อนแอɔ̀ɔn-ɛɛweak; not strong
He was branded by the villagers as an evil person because he exploited the weak.
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นิทานní-taanเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangนี้níiสอนsɔ̌ɔnว่าwâaแม้mɛ́ɛคนkonชั่วchûuaจะได้jà-dâaiดีdiiไปbpaiบ้างbâangแต่dtɛ̀ɛความจริงkwaam-jingย่อมyɔ̂mปรากฏbpraa-gòt
This tale teaches that even if wicked people may prosper for a while, the truth will eventually come out.
เธอtəəปฏิเสธbpà-dtì-sèetอย่างหนักyàang-nàkแน่นnɛ̂nว่าwâaไม่ได้mâi-dâaiร่วมมือrûuam-mʉʉกับgàpพวกpûuakคนkonชั่วchûuaที่tîiโกงgoongชุมชนchum-chon
She firmly denied collaborating with the wicked people who cheated the community.
ผู้มีอำนาจpûu-mii-am-nâatที่tîiใช้cháiกฎหมายgòt-mǎaiกดขี่gòt-kìiประชาชนbprà-chaa-chonย่อมyɔ̂mถูกtùukประณามbprà-naamว่าwâaใจjaiชั่วchûuaไร้ráiเมตตาmêet-dtaa
Those in power who use the law to oppress the people are condemned as wicked and merciless.
3AdverbB2
for; throughout (a specified period)
Used before a time expression to indicate duration, whether brief or long, as in ชั่วขณะชั่วขณะchûua-kà-nà1a moment; a short while2[for] a moment ‘for a moment’ or ชั่วชีวิตชั่วชีวิตchûua-chii-wít1for life; throughout [sb]'s life2a lifetime; one's whole life ‘throughout a lifetime’.
Examples
ขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forฝากfàakฝากfàak1[to] deposit [money]2[to] leave/entrust [sth] with [sb]3[to] send via [sb]; send alongของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsไว้wáiไว้wái1[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.)ที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerโต๊ะdtóโต๊ะdtó1table2deskคุณkunคุณkun1you (polite)2Mr.; Ms.; Mrs. (title)3quality; virtue; meritชั่วคราวchûua-kraaoชั่วคราวchûua-kraao1temporary; provisional; interim2temporarily; for the time beingเดี๋ยวdǐiaoเดี๋ยวdǐiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)กลับมาglàp-maaกลับมาglàp-maa1[to] come back; return2[to] resume; make a comeback; be backรับrápรับráp1[to] receive; get2[to] accept3[to] pick up; collect4[to] admit; confess5[to] take (a call/order/job)6[to] host; welcome7[to] defend; resist an attack8[to] withstand; bear9bottom; receptive sexual partner (slang)
Let me leave my stuff at your desk temporarily; I’ll come back to get it.
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He asked to borrow the phone for a moment to call his mom.
ช่วงนี้chûuang-níiร้านráanปิดbpìtชั่วchûuaระยะหนึ่งrá-yá-nʉ̀ngเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaปรับปรุงระบบbpràp-bprung-rá-bòp
The shop is closed for a short period to upgrade the system.
ผมpǒmจะjàย้ายyáaiไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaanที่tîiสาขาsǎa-kǎaอื่นʉ̀ʉnชั่วคราวchûua-kraaoจนกว่าjon-gwàaงานngaanโครงการkroong-gaanนี้níiจะjàเสร็จsèt
I will temporarily move to work at another branch until this project is finished.
4ClassifierB2
classifier for periods of time
a measure word used with time expressions to indicate a span or phase (e.g., ชั่วชีวิตชั่วชีวิตchûua-chii-wít1for life; throughout [sb]'s life2a lifetime; one's whole life ‘a lifetime’, ชั่วอายุคนชั่วอายุคนchûua-aa-yú-kon1a lifetime2a generation3for a lifetime ‘in a generation’)
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillทำงานtam-ngaanทำงานtam-ngaan1[to] work; do one's job; be on duty2[to] function; operateบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtcompany; firm; corporationเดียวdiiaoเดียวdiiaosingle; one; only; sameชั่วชีวิตchûua-chii-wítชั่วชีวิตchûua-chii-wít1for life; throughout [sb]'s life2a lifetime; one's whole lifeไม่เคยmâi-kəəiไม่เคยmâi-kəəinever; have neverย้ายyáaiย้ายyáai1[to] move; relocate2[to] move house3[to] transfer (jobs; schools; departments)งานngaanงานngaan1work; job; employment2task; assignment; duty3event; fair; function4work (product); creation5unit (classifier) for events6work (physics)เลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceed
He worked at the same company for his entire life and never changed jobs.
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ข่าวลือkàao-lʉʉเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangนี้níiวนเวียนwon-wiianอยู่yùuชั่วอายุคนchûua-aa-yú-konจนjonกลายเป็นglaai-bpenตำนานdtam-naanท้องถิ่นtɔ́ɔng-tìn
This rumor has circulated for a generation and has become a local legend.
บทเพลงbòt-pleengนี้níiถูกtùukส่งต่อsòng-dtɔ̀ɔชั่วอายุคนchûua-aa-yú-konสะท้อนsà-tɔ́ɔnความทรงจำkwaam-song-jamของkɔ̌ɔngชุมชนchum-chonอย่างลึกซึ้งyàang-lʉ́k-sʉ́ng
This song has been passed down through generations, deeply reflecting the community’s memories.
แนวคิดnɛɛo-kítเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangความยุติธรรมkwaam-yú-dtì-tamเปลี่ยนแปลงbplìian-bplɛɛngไปbpaiตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔtชั่วชีวิตchûua-chii-wítของkɔ̌ɔngสังคมsǎng-komขึ้นอยู่กับkʉ̂n-yùu-gàpประสบการณ์bprà-sòp-gaanร่วมrûuamของkɔ̌ɔngผู้คนpûu-kon
The concept of justice changes throughout the lifetime of a society, depending on people’s shared experiences.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
chûua
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
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 | — | — |