ต้นๆ
dtôn dtônMeanings
1AdjectiveB1
early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)
early; at the beginning part of a period or phase (e.g., ต้นๆต้นๆdtôn dtôn1early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)2early; near the start (in time)3among the first; top-tier (in order/rank) เดือนเดือนdʉʉan1month2the Moon; moon, ต้นๆต้นๆdtôn dtôn1early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)2early; near the start (in time)3among the first; top-tier (in order/rank) ปีปีbpii1year2classifier: years). Often approximate/colloquial.
Examples
เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ไปเที่ยวbpai tîiaoไปเที่ยวbpai tîiao1[to] go out for fun; hang out2[to] travel for leisure; go on a trip; go sightseeing3[to] drop by for fun; pay a casual visitญี่ปุ่นyìi-bpùnญี่ปุ่นyìi-bpùn1Japan (country)2Japanese (language)3Japanese (person/people)4Japanese; of Japanช่วงchûuangช่วงchûuang1period; span (of time)2span; extent3section; segment (part of something)4range; interval (between limits)5distance between supportsต้นๆdtôn dtônต้นๆdtôn dtôn1early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)2early; near the start (in time)3among the first; top-tier (in order/rank)ปีหน้าbpee nâaปีหน้าbpee nâanext year
We will travel to Japan early next year.
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เงินเดือนngern deuuanจะjàออกòkประมาณbprà-maanต้นๆdtôn dtônเดือนdeuuanไม่เกินmâi gernวันที่wan tîiห้าhâa
The salary will be paid around the beginning of the month, no later than the 5th.
This movie was very famous in the early 2000s.
เศรษฐกิจsèht-tà-gìtเริ่มrêrmชะลอตัวchá-lo dtuuaตั้งแต่dtâng dtàeช่วงchûuangต้นๆdtôn dtônของkŏngไตรมาสdtrai-mâatที่สามtêe săamแล้วláeo
The economy had already started to slow down since the beginning part of the third quarter.
2AdverbB1
early; near the start (in time)
early; near the start in time.
Examples
เขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillมาถึงmaa tŭengมาถึงmaa tŭeng1[to] arrive (somewhere)2[to] reach; come to (time/stage/topic)ที่têeที่têe1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerงานngaanงานngaan1work; job; employment2task; assignment; duty3event; fair; function4work (product); creation5unit (classifier) for events6work (physics)แต่dtàeแต่dtàe1but; however (contrast)2only; just (restriction)3from; since (starting point)ต้นๆdtôn dtônต้นๆdtôn dtôn1early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)2early; near the start (in time)3among the first; top-tier (in order/rank)เลยloieเลยloie1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedได้ที่dâi têeได้ที่dâi têe1ready; at the ideal point2to the right degree; just rightนั่งnângนั่งnâng1[to] sit; sit down2[to] take; ride [sth] (vehicle)ดีๆdee deeดีๆdee dee1properly; carefully; nicely; politely2really good; decent; proper
He arrived at the event early, so he got a good seat.
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If you want fresh stuff, you have to hurry and go to the market early.
เราraoควรจะkuuan jàเริ่มrêrmออกเดินทางòk dern taangแต่dtàeต้นๆdtôn dtônเพื่อpêuuaหลีกเลี่ยงlèek lîangรถติดrót dtìt
We should start our journey early to avoid traffic jams.
การประชุมgaan bprà-chumครั้งนี้kráng néeสำคัญsăm-kanมากmâakทุกคนtúk konจึงjeungมาถึงmaa tŭengกันganแต่dtàeต้นๆdtôn dtônเพื่อpêuuaเตรียมdtriiamความพร้อมkwaam próm
This meeting is very important, so everyone arrived early to prepare.
3AdjectiveB1
among the first; top-tier (in order/rank)
among the first or at the top in order or ranking (e.g., อันดับต้นๆ = top ranks).
Examples
เขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)นักเรียนnák riianนักเรียนnák riianschool student; pupilอันดับan dàpอันดับan dàprank; order; levelต้นๆdtôn dtônต้นๆdtôn dtôn1early; at the beginning (of a period/phase)2early; near the start (in time)3among the first; top-tier (in order/rank)ของkŏngของkŏng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsห้องhôngห้องhông1room2classifier: rooms
He is one of the top students in the class.
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มหาวิทยาลัยmá-hăa-wít-tá-yaa-laiของเราkŏng raoติดอันดับdtìt an-dàpต้นๆdtôn dtônของkŏngประเทศbprà-tâetทุกปีtúk bpee
Our university is ranked among the top in the country every year.
บริษัทbò-rí-sàtนี้néeถือเป็นtĕu bpenหนึ่งในnèung naiผู้ผลิตรถยนต์pôo pà-lìt rót-yonรายraaiต้นๆdtôn dtônของkŏngโลกlôhk
This company is considered one of the world's leading car manufacturers.
นโยบายná-yoh-baaiนี้néeถูกtòokคัดค้านkát káanโดยdoiนักวิชาการnák wí-chaa gaanกลุ่มglùmต้นๆdtôn dtônที่têeศึกษาsèuk-săaเรื่องrêuuangนี้néeโดยตรงdoy dtrong
This policy was opposed by the leading group of academics who directly study this issue.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ต้นๆ said ต้น-ต้น?
dtôn dtôn
Thai spelling does not always show how a word sounds. This is how it is said.
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 markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Falling tone
dtôn
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Mid class + Mai tho → Falling
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 | — | — |