ตาขาว
dtaa-kǎaoMeanings
1NounB1
sclera; white of the eye
The white part of the eyeball surrounding the iris.
Examples
หมอmɔ̌ɔหมอmɔ̌ɔ1doctor; physician2veterinarian3expert; specialist (informal)4traditional healer; shamanบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)สังเกตsǎng-gèetสังเกตsǎng-gèet1[to] observe [sth]; watch closely2[to] notice [sth]; perceive [sth]3[to] note [sth]; take note (mentally)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoตาขาวdtaa-kǎao1sclera; white of the eye2timid; cowardly (colloq.)3coward (colloq.)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)สีเหลืองsǐi-lʉ̌ʉangสีเหลืองsǐi-lʉ̌ʉang1yellow (color)2yellow (the color)3‘Yellow’ (Thai politics)4yellow (journalism); sensationalistไหมmǎiไหมmǎi1yes–no question particle; or not?2silk
The doctor said to check whether the whites of the eyes are yellow.
3 more examplesShow less
When I'm allergic to dust, the whites of my eyes become very red and itchy.
เขาkǎoมีmiiกระตุกgrà-dtùkที่tîiตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoเล็กน้อยlék-nɔ́ɔiหมอmɔ̌ɔเลยləəiนัดnátตรวจdtrùuatเพิ่มเติมpə̂əm-dtəəm
He had a slight twitch in the whites of his eyes, so the doctor scheduled further tests.
ถ้าtâaเห็นhĕnจุดเลือดออกjùt lêuuat òkเล็กlékๆ-บนbonตาขาวdtaa kăaoหลังจากlăng jàakไอแรงai raengๆ-โดยทั่วไปdoi tûua bpaiจะjàหายhăaiเองayngได้dâi
If you see small spots of bleeding on the whites of your eyes after a strong cough, they usually go away on their own.
2AdjectiveB2
timid; cowardly (colloq.)
Being easily frightened; timid or cowardly (informal).
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyเข้าไปkâo-bpaiเข้าไปkâo-bpai1[to] go in; enter (away from the speaker)2directional complement: into; in (away from speaker)คุยkuiคุยkui1[to] chat; talk2[to] discuss; talk over3[to] brag; boast4[to] talk to [sb] romantically; get to know a potential partner (colloq.)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เจ้านายjâo-naaiเจ้านายjâo-naai1boss; employer; superior2master; owner (of servant or animal)3royalty; member of a royal familyหรอกrɔ̀kหรอกrɔ̀k1emphatic denial (actually not; certainly not)2assurance/softener particle (explanatory tone)คนนี้kon-níiคนนี้kon-níithis personตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoตาขาวdtaa-kǎao1sclera; white of the eye2timid; cowardly (colloq.)3coward (colloq.)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
He doesn't dare go talk to the boss; he's really timid.
3 more examplesShow less
Nida won't even watch horror movies; she's super easily scared.
เพื่อนpêuuanๆ-ชอบchôpล้อlóว่าwâaผมpŏmตาขาวdtaa kăaoเพราะpráwได้ยินdâi-yinเสียงsĭiangแปลกbplàekนิดเดียวnít diaoก็gâwรีบrêepหนีnĕe
My friends like to tease me for being timid, because I run away as soon as I hear a slight strange sound.
อย่าyàaไปbpaiว่าwâaพวกเขาpûuak-kǎoตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoเลยləəiบางครั้งbaang-krángความระมัดระวังkwaam-rá-mát-rá-wangก็gɔ̂ช่วยchûuaiหลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangปัญหาbpan-hǎaใหญ่yàiได้dâai
Don't call them cowards; sometimes caution helps avoid big trouble.
3NounB2
coward (colloq.)
A person who is easily scared; a coward (informal).
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นตาbpen-dtaaเป็นตาbpen-dtaa(Isan) seemingly; invitingly; worthy ofขาวkǎaoขาวkǎao1white (color)2fair-skinned; light-complexioned3white (color)4[to] be white; be fair-skinnedเห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asหมาmǎaหมาmǎa1dog2dog (insult)เห่าhàoเห่าhào1[to] bark2bark (dog sound)3[to] bark at [sb]; snap at4[to] yap; nag; mouth off (fig.)ก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerวิ่งหนีwîng-nǐiวิ่งหนีwîng-nǐi1[to] run away from [sb]/[sth]; flee2[to] run away from [sth] (figurative); avoid/evade
He’s a coward; when a dog barks, he runs away.
3 more examplesShow less
Don’t be such a scaredy-cat; it’s just a presentation in front of the class.
ถ้าtâaเอาแต่ao-dtɛ̀ɛตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoเวลาwee-laaมีปัญหาmii-bpan-hǎaก็gɔ̂จะไม่มีjà-mâi-miiวันwanกล้าglâaรับผิดชอบráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔp
If you keep being a coward, you’ll never dare take responsibility when problems arise.
เขาkǎoถูกtùukล้อlɔ́ɔว่าwâaตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoจนjonเริ่มrə̂əmฮึดสู้hʉ́t-sûuและlɛ́พยายามpá-yaa-yaamพิสูจน์pí-sùutตัวเองdtuua-eeng
He was mocked as a coward until he gathered resolve and tried to prove himself.
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 classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
dtaa
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
+
ขาวkǎaoขาวkǎao1white (color)2fair-skinned; light-complexioned3white (color)4[to] be white; be fair-skinnedwhite (color)Part 2
ตาขาวdtaa-kǎaoตาขาวdtaa-kǎaosclera; white of the eyesclera; white of the eyeWord