ตบกบาล
dtòp-gà-baanMeaning
1VerbB2
[to] slap [sb] on the head
To slap or smack someone on the head, usually with an open hand, often out of anger or as a rough reprimand
Examples
ถ้าtâaถ้าtâaif; in caseแกgɛɛแกgɛɛ1you (familiar)2he; she (familiar)ยังyangยังyang1still; continuing2not yet (with ไม่)3yet? (question use)4still/even (emphatic degree)5to; towardพูดจาpûut-jaaพูดจาpûut-jaa[to] speak; talk (how one speaks)ไม่รู้เรื่องmâi-rúu-rʉ̂ʉangไม่รู้เรื่องmâi-rúu-rʉ̂ʉang1[to] not understand; be clueless; not know what's going on2incomprehensible; unintelligible; not make senseอีกìikอีกìik1more; another; further2again3else; otherฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baanตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baan[to] slap [sb] on the headแกgɛɛแกgɛɛ1you (familiar)2he; she (familiar)สักทีsàk-tiiสักทีsàk-tii1finally; at last2already; for once (urging/complaint)นะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle3wondering particle
If you keep talking nonsense, I'm going to smack your head.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkǎoโมโหmoo-hǒoมากmâakที่tîiโดนdoonเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanแกล้งglɛ̂ɛngเลยləəiหันไปhǎn-bpaiตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanอย่างแรงyàang-rɛɛng
He was so angry at being teased by his friend that he turned around and smacked his friend's head hard.
การgaanตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baanเด็กdèkเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสั่งสอนsàng-sɔ̌ɔnเป็นbpenวิธีwí-tiiที่tîiไม่เหมาะสมmâi-mɔ̀-sǒmเพราะprɔ́นอกจากnɔ̂ɔk-jàakจะjàใช้cháiความรุนแรงkwaam-run-rɛɛngแล้วlɛ́ɛoยังyangทำให้tam-hâiเด็กdèkอับอายàp-aaiด้วยdûuai
Smacking a child's head to teach them a lesson is an inappropriate method because, aside from using violence, it also humiliates the child.
ในnaiวัฒนธรรมไทยwát-tá-ná-tam-taiศีรษะsǐi-sàถือเป็นtʉ̌ʉ-bpenของสูงkɔ̌ɔng-sǔungการgaanตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baanคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉnแม้mɛ́ɛจะjàทำtamไปbpaiเพราะprɔ́ความkwaamล้อเล่นlɔ́ɔ-lênก็gɔ̂ถือเป็นtʉ̌ʉ-bpenการgaanเสียsǐiaมารยาทmaa-rá-yâatอย่างรุนแรงyàang-run-rɛɛng
In Thai culture, the head is considered highly respected; smacking someone else's head, even as a joke, is considered severely disrespectful.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ตบกบาล said ตบ-กะ-บาน?
dtòp-gà-baan
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
3 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableEnds in -บ, a stop, so it is dead.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
dtòp
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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
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ตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baanตบกบาลdtòp-gà-baan[to] slap [sb] on the head[to] slap [sb] on the headWord