นัก

nák

Meanings

1NounA2

person engaged in [field/activity]; specialist; -er/-ist (prefix)

A bound prefix forming agent nouns for a person involved in, studying, or skilled at a field or activity (e.g., นักเรียนนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupil student, นักวิทยาศาสตร์นักวิทยาศาสตร์nák-wít-tá-yaa-sàata scientist scientist, นักกีฬานักกีฬาnák-gii-laaathlete; sportsperson; player athlete).

Examples

พี่ชายpîi-chaaiพี่ชายpîi-chaaiolder brother; elder male siblingเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)นักเรียนnák-riianนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupil
My older brother is a student.
3 more examples
เธอtəəอยากyàakเป็นbpenนักดนตรีnák-don-dtriiเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaโตขึ้นdtoo-kʉ̂n
She wants to be a musician when she grows up.
พ่อpɔ̂ɔของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnเป็นbpenนักฟุตบอลnák-fút-bɔɔnสมัครเล่นsà-màk-lênในnaiชุมชนchum-chon
My father is an amateur football player in the community.
นักวิทยาศาสตร์nák-wít-tá-yaa-sàatกำลังgam-langทดลองtót-lɔɔngวิธีwí-tiiใหม่màiในnaiการเก็บgaan-gèpพลังงานแสงอาทิตย์pá-lang-ngaan-sɛ̌ɛng-aa-tít
Scientists are experimenting with new ways to store solar energy.
2AdverbB1

very; greatly; much

A postposed intensifier indicating a high degree after an adjective or verb; also used with negation to mean 'not very' or 'not much'.

Examples

วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentร้อนrɔ́ɔnร้อนrɔ́ɔn1hot (temperature)2spicy (taste)3[to] be hot; feel hot; become hot4urgent; intenseนักnákนักnák1person engaged in [field/activity]; specialist; -er/-ist (prefix)2very; greatly; muchเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedอยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainบ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลัง
Today is very hot, so I stayed home.
3 more examples
เขาkǎoเหนื่อยnʉ̀ʉaiนักnákหลังจากlǎng-jàakวิ่งwîngมาmaaทั้งวันtáng-wanแต่dtɛ̀ɛก็gɔ̂ยังyangยิ้มyímได้dâaiอยู่yùu
He was very tired after running all day, but he could still smile.
อาหารaa-hǎanร้านนี้ráan-níiอร่อยà-rɔ̀iนักnákจนjonฉันchǎnอยากyàakกลับไปglàp-bpaiกินginอีกìik
The food at this place is so delicious that I want to go back and eat again.
ช่วงนี้chûuang-níiงานยุ่งngaan-yûngนักnákจนjonแทบtɛ̂ɛpไม่มีmâi-miiเวลาพักผ่อนwee-laa-pák-pɔ̀ɔnเลยləəi
Lately, work has been extremely busy—so busy that I hardly have any time to rest.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classLow class
  2. Tone markNo tone mark
  3. Syllable endingDead syllableShort vowelEnds in -ก, a stop, so it is dead.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

High tone

nák

Starts high and keeps climbing.

Low class + No tone mark + Dead syllable · Short vowel → High

Tone chart

Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.

Mid classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

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