ดำหัว
dam-hǔuaMeanings
1VerbB2
[to] pay ritual respects to elders (Northern Thai)
To pay respects to elders, especially at Songkran, with a traditional Northern Thai water ritual, asking forgiveness and receiving blessings.
Examples
สงกรานต์sǒng-graanสงกรานต์sǒng-graan1Songkran festival2Songkran period/holidayปีนี้bpii-níiปีนี้bpii-níi1this year2this year; during the current yearฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)กลับบ้านglàp-bâanกลับบ้านglàp-bâan[to] go (back) home; return homeไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyดำหัวdam-hǔuaดำหัวdam-hǔua1[to] pay ritual respects to elders (Northern Thai)2ritual paying of respects to elders (Northern Thai)คุณปู่คุณย่าkun-bpùu-kun-yâaคุณปู่คุณย่าkun-bpùu-kun-yâapaternal grandparents
This Songkran, I will go back home to pour water on my grandparents' hands for blessings.
3 more examplesShow less
เธอtəəจะjàไปbpaiดำหัวdam-hǔuaผู้ใหญ่pûu-yàiที่ไหนtîi-nǎiบ้างbâangในช่วงnai-chûuangวันหยุดยาวwan-yùt-yaaoนี้níi
Where will you be going to pour water on elders' hands for blessings during this long holiday?
ถึงแม้จะtʉ̌ng-mɛ́ɛ-jàทำงานtam-ngaanอยู่yùuไกลบ้านglai-bâanแต่dtɛ̀ɛทุกปีtúk-bpiiเราraoก็gɔ̂จะjàกลับไปglàp-bpaiดำหัวdam-hǔuaพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaขอพรkɔ̌ɔ-pɔɔnท่านtânเสมอsà-mə̌ə
Even though we work far from home, every year we always return to pour water on our parents' hands to ask for their blessings.
การได้gaan-dâaiไปbpaiดำหัวdam-hǔuaผู้ใหญ่pûu-yàiที่tîiเราraoเคารพนับถือkao-róp-náp-tʉ̌ʉเป็นประจำทุกปีbpen-bprà-jam-túk-bpiiทำtamให้hâiเราraoรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀kอิ่มเอมใจìm-eem-jaiและlɛ́เป็นสิริมงคลbpen-sì-rí-mong-konกับgàpชีวิตchii-wít
Getting to pour water on the hands of the elders we respect every year makes us feel fulfilled and brings blessings to our lives.
2NounB2
ritual paying of respects to elders (Northern Thai)
A traditional Northern Thai water ritual honoring elders, especially at Songkran, in which participants ask forgiveness and receive blessings.
Examples
ประเพณีbprà-pee-niiประเพณีbprà-pee-nii1tradition; custom2ritual; ceremonial customดำหัวdam-hǔuaดำหัวdam-hǔua1[to] pay ritual respects to elders (Northern Thai)2ritual paying of respects to elders (Northern Thai)เป็นประเพณีbpen-bprà-pee-niiเป็นประเพณีbpen-bprà-pee-niitraditional; customaryที่สำคัญtîi-sǎm-kanที่สำคัญtîi-sǎm-kan1that is important; important; key2importantly; crucially; more importantly3the important thing/pointของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsคนภาคเหนือkon-pâak-nʉ̌ʉaคนภาคเหนือkon-pâak-nʉ̌ʉanortherner (Thailand)ในช่วงnai-chûuangในช่วงnai-chûuangduring; in the period ofสงกรานต์sǒng-graanสงกรานต์sǒng-graan1Songkran festival2Songkran period/holiday
The Dam Hua ceremony is an important tradition for people in Northern Thailand during Songkran.
3 more examplesShow less
ที่tîiบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtจะjàจัดงานjàt-ngaanดำหัวdam-hǔuaเจ้านายjâo-naaiวันไหนwan-nǎiเราraoจะได้jà-dâaiเตรียมdtriiamของkɔ̌ɔngไปbpaiถูกtùuk
On which day will the company hold the Dam Hua ceremony for the boss? So we can prepare the right things to bring.
การgaanดำหัวdam-hǔuaไม่ใช่mâi-châiแค่kɛ̂ɛการรดน้ำgaan-rót-náamแต่ยังdtɛ̀ɛ-yangเป็นbpenโอกาสoo-gàatให้hâiลูกหลานlûuk-lǎanได้dâaiแสดงsà-dɛɛngความกตัญญูkwaam-gà-dtan-yuuและlɛ́ขอขมาkɔ̌ɔ-kà-maaผู้ใหญ่pûu-yài
The Dam Hua ceremony is not just about pouring water, but it's also an opportunity for the younger generation to show gratitude and ask for forgiveness from their elders.
ในnaiพิธีpí-teeดำหัวdam hŭuaนอกจากnôk jàakน้ำnáamขมิ้นkà-mînส้มsômป่อยoiแล้วláeoผู้คนpôo konมักจะmák jàนำnamของขวัญkŏng kwănเล็กๆlék lékน้อยๆnói nóiไปbpaiมอบให้môp hâiผู้ใหญ่pôo yàiเพื่อpêuuaแสดงsà-daengความเคารพkwaam kao-rópรักrákด้วยdûuay
In the Dam Hua ceremony, besides turmeric and sompoi-scented water, people often bring small gifts to give to the elders to show their love and respect.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ดำหัว said ดัม-หัว?
dam-hǔua
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
dam
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid 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
ดำdamดำdam1black; very dark (color)2[to] be/turn black3dark-skinned; tan (can be sensitive)4[to] dive; go underwaterblack; very dark (color)Part 1
+
ดำหัวdam-hǔuaดำหัวdam-hǔua[to] pay ritual respects to elders (Northern Thai)[to] pay ritual respects to elders (Northern Thai)Word