ซาว
saaoMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] rinse; wash (rice)
to rinse or wash with water, especially to clean rice before cooking
Examples
ก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; formerหุงhǔngหุงhǔng[to] cook (especially rice)ข้าวkâaoข้าวkâao1rice (cooked)2rice (grain/uncooked)3meal; food (general)4rice plant; paddyอย่าลืมyàa-lʉʉmอย่าลืมyàa-lʉʉmdon't forget (to...)ซาวข้าวsaao-kâaoซาวข้าวsaao-kâao[to] rinse riceให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3[to] have [sb] do; cause to4for (benefit of)5so that; in order to6until; to the point that (result)สะอาดsà-àatสะอาดsà-àat1clean2pure; innocent (morally clean)สองsɔ̌ɔngสองsɔ̌ɔng1two; 22secondถึงtʉ̌ngถึงtʉ̌ng1to; until; up to2[to] arrive; reach3to; toward (recipient/goal)4even if; even though5as much as; as many as; to the point of6about; concerning; regardingสามsǎamสามsǎamthree (3)น้ำnáamน้ำnáam1water2liquid; fluid3juice; extract4sauce; broth5bodily fluid (in compounds)
Before cooking rice, don't forget to rinse the rice clean with two to three changes of water.
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แม่mâeบอกให้bòk hâiซาวข้าวsaao kâaoเบาbaoๆ-เพื่อไม่ให้pêuua mâi hâiเมล็ดmá-létแตกdtàekแล้วláeoค่อยkôiนำไปnam bpaiหุงhŭng
Mom told me to gently rinse the rice so the grains don't break, then cook it.
ถ้าtâaซาวข้าวsaao-kâaoจนกว่าjon-gwàaน้ำnáamจะjàใสsǎiกลิ่นglìnแป้งbpɛ̂ɛngจะjàหายไปhǎai-bpaiและlɛ́ข้าวkâaoจะjàนุ่มnûmขึ้นkʉ̂n
If you rinse the rice until the water runs clear, the starchy smell will disappear and the rice will become softer.
บางคนbaang-konเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaการgaanซาวข้าวsaao-kâaoหลายlǎaiครั้งkrángช่วยให้chûuai-hâiข้าวkâaoไม่mâiบูดbùutเร็วreoแต่dtɛ̀ɛก็gɔ̂ล้างláangสารอาหารsǎan-aa-hǎanบางส่วนbaang-sùuanออกไปɔ̀ɔk-bpaiด้วยdûuai
Some people believe rinsing rice many times helps it spoil less quickly, but it also washes away some nutrients.
2NounB2
twenty (Northern/Isan)
the number twenty in Northern and Northeastern Thai dialects
Examples
ป้าbpâaป้าbpâa1aunt (older sister of father or mother)2auntie; middle‑aged/older woman (address)บอกว่าbòk wâaบอกว่าbòk wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatมีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoข้าวkâaoข้าวkâao1rice (cooked)2rice (grain/uncooked)3meal; food (general)4rice plant; paddyซาวกระติ๊บsaao grà-dtípแปลว่าbplae wâaแปลว่าbplae wâa1[to] mean (of a word/symbol); signify2[to] translate as3that means; which means; in other wordsมีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoข้าวkâaoข้าวkâao1rice (cooked)2rice (grain/uncooked)3meal; food (general)4rice plant; paddyยี่สิบyêe sìpยี่สิบyêe sìptwentyกระติ๊บgrà-dtípกระติ๊บgrà-dtípsticky-rice basket (woven bamboo)
Auntie said there are ‘khao sao kratip,’ meaning there are twenty bamboo containers of sticky rice.
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พ่อค้าpɔ̂ɔ-káaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaมะม่วงmá-mûuangมีอยู่mii-yùuซาวลูกsaao-lûukราคาraa-kaaลดlótให้พิเศษhâi-pí-sèet
The vendor said there are twenty mangoes and offered a special price.
ที่บ้านtîi-bâanเหนือnʉ̌ʉaเวลาwee-laaเขาkǎoนับnápเลขlêekเขาkǎoชอบchɔ̂ɔpพูดpûutว่าwâaซาวsaaoแทนtɛɛnยี่สิบyîi-sìpในnaiชีวิตประจำวันchii-wít-bprà-jam-wan
In the northern region, when people count numbers, they often say ‘sao’ instead of ‘yi-sip’ in daily life.
งานบุญngaan-bunคืนนี้kʉʉn-níiต้องdtɔ̂ngเตรียมdtriiamเก้าอี้gâo-îiซาวsaaoตัวdtuuaเผื่อแขกpʉ̀ʉa-kɛ̀ɛkจะjàมาmaaมากกว่าmâak-gwàaที่tîiคาดkâat
For tonight’s merit-making event, we need to prepare twenty chairs in case more guests show up than expected.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ว, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
saao
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 | — | — |