ซาวเบา
saao-baoMeanings
1AdjectiveB2
quiet; low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)
quiet or at a low volume; not loud (regional/colloquial, chiefly Isan; from Lao/Isan)
Examples
เปิดbpə̀ətเปิดbpə̀ət1[to] open; uncover; unwrap2[to] turn on; switch on3[to] start; launch; open for business4[to] put on; play (music or video)เพลงpleengเพลงpleeng1song; musical piece2classifier: songs/piecesซาวsaaoซาวsaao1[to] rinse; wash (rice)2twenty (Northern/Isan)เบาหน่อยbao-nɔ̀iเบาหน่อยbao-nɔ̀iquieter; softer; more gentlyเดี๋ยวdǐiaoเดี๋ยวdǐiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …คนแก่kon-gɛ̀ɛคนแก่kon-gɛ̀ɛelderly person; old personข้างบ้านkâang-bâanข้างบ้านkâang-bâan1next door; at the neighboring house2the house/people next door; neighbors3by the side of the house4next-door; neighboring (as a modifier)บ่นbònบ่นbòn1to complain; grumble2to nag
Play the music quietly; the elderly next door will complain.
3 more examplesShow less
Speak quietly, okay? There are many people reading in this library.
ครูkruuขอให้kɔ̌ɔ-hâiลดlótไมค์máiให้hâiซาวเบาsaao-baoลงlongนิดหนึ่งnít-nʉ̀ngเพราะprɔ́เสียงsǐiangมันmanกลบglòpเครื่องดนตรีkrʉ̂ʉang-don-dtrii
The teacher asked to turn the mic down to a low volume because it was drowning out the instruments.
ตอนdtɔɔnซ้อมsɔ́ɔmละครlá-kɔɔnเขาkǎoสั่งให้sàng-hâiดนตรีdon-dtriiซาวเบาsaao-baoเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiได้dâaiบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatแบบbɛ̀ɛpกระซิบgrà-síp
During rehearsal, they instructed the music to be at a low volume to create a whisper-like atmosphere.
2AdverbB2
quietly; at low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)
in a quiet or low-volume manner; softly (regional/colloquial, chiefly Isan; from Lao/Isan)
Examples
เปิดbpə̀ətเปิดbpə̀ət1[to] open; uncover; unwrap2[to] turn on; switch on3[to] start; launch; open for business4[to] put on; play (music or video)เพลงpleengเพลงpleeng1song; musical piece2classifier: songs/piecesซาวเบาsaao-baoซาวเบาsaao-bao1quiet; low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)2quietly; at low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)แนnɛɛแนnɛɛ1please; a little (Isan request particle)2firm; steady (literary/dialectal)เด้อdə̂əเด้อdə̂əsentence-ending particle (Isan/Lao)แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseหลับlàpหลับlàp1[to] sleep; [to] fall asleep2asleep (stative)อยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remain
Play the music softly, okay? Mom is sleeping.
3 more examplesShow less
Could you speak softly? The library is quiet.
ดีเจdii-jeeขอให้kɔ̌ɔ-hâiเปิดbpə̀ətเพลงpleengซาวเบาsaao-baoลงlongหน่อยnɔ̀iเพราะprɔ́กำลังgam-langทดสอบระบบtót-sɔ̀ɔp-rá-bòpเสียงsǐiang
The DJ asked to play the music more softly because they are testing the sound system.
ยามyaamคุยkuiโทรศัพท์toh-rá-sàpตอนดึกdton dèukซาวเบาsaao baoไว้wáiเด้อdérสิบ่sì bòrให้hâiคนkonในบ้านnai bâanตื่นdtèuun
When talking on the phone late at night, speak softly so you won’t wake anyone in the house.
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 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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
+
เบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easelight (not heavy)Part 2
ซาวเบาsaao-baoซาวเบาsaao-baoquiet; low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)quiet; low volume (Isan/Lao-influenced)Word