นักเลง
nák-leengMeanings
1NounB1
gangster; thug; bully
a gangster, thug, or bully; a person known for rowdy, violent, or intimidating behavior; also a ruffian
Examples
แถวนี้tɛ̌ɛo-níiแถวนี้tɛ̌ɛo-níi1around here; nearby2this area; this neighborhood3approximately; around this time/amountเคยkəəiเคยkəəi1ever; before (past experience)2used to (past habit or state)3shrimp paste (Southern Thai)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoนักเลงnák-leengนักเลงnák-leeng1gangster; thug; bully2enthusiast; aficionado3rowdy; thuggish (attrib.)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerวุ่นวายwûn-waaiวุ่นวายwûn-waai1chaotic; disorderly; hectic2troublesome; bothersome3[to] fuss; meddle; make a fussที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerตลาดdtà-làatตลาดdtà-làat1market; marketplace2market (economic demand/sector)3popular; mainstream (colloq.)
There used to be a thug causing trouble at the market in this area.
3 more examplesShow less
เมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉnมีmiiนักเลงnák-leengสองsɔ̌ɔngกลุ่มglùmยกyókพวกpûuakตีdtiiกันหน้าgan-nâaโรงหนังroong-nǎng
Last night two gangs of thugs brawled in front of the cinema.
ถ้าtâaเจอjəəนักเลงnák-leengข่มขู่kòm-kùuอย่าyàaโต้เถียงdtôo-tǐiangให้hâiรีบrîipขอkɔ̌ɔความช่วยเหลือkwaam-chûuai-lʉ̌ʉaจากjàakตำรวจdtam-rùuat
If you encounter a gangster intimidating you, don’t argue; quickly seek help from the police.
งานเลี้ยงngaan-líiangต้องdtɔ̂ngยุติyú-dtìทันทีtan-tiiเพราะprɔ́มีmiiนักเลงnák-leengในพื้นที่nai-pʉ́ʉn-tîiเริ่มrə̂əmก่อกวนgɔ̀ɔ-guuanและlɛ́ข่มคนkòm-konอื่นʉ̀ʉn
The party had to end immediately because local thugs began harassing and intimidating others.
2NounB2
enthusiast; aficionado
a passionate devotee of something (e.g., music, liquor, antiques), often with deep knowledge or dedication; an aficionado
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; 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)นักเลงnák-leengนักเลงnák-leeng1gangster; thug; bully2enthusiast; aficionado3rowdy; thuggish (attrib.)เพลงแจ๊สpleeng-jɛ́ɛtเพลงแจ๊สpleeng-jɛ́ɛtjazz music; a jazz songฟังfangฟังfang1listen2heed3[to] sound; seem (to the ear)แผ่นเสียงpɛ̀n-sǐiangแผ่นเสียงpɛ̀n-sǐiangphonograph record; vinyl recordเก่าgàoเก่าgào1old; not new2former; previous3old-fashioned; outdatedทุกคืนtúk-kʉʉnทุกคืนtúk-kʉʉnevery nightและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)รู้rúuรู้rúu1[to] know; be aware of2[to] realize; find out; learn3[to] know how; know the proper way to act4[to] feel; sense; perceiveประวัติbprà-wàtประวัติbprà-wàt1history; background2profile; personal recordศิลปินsǐn-lá-bpinศิลปินsǐn-lá-bpin1artist (creator of art)2performing artist; entertainerละเอียดlá-ìiatละเอียดlá-ìiat1fine; minute; tiny (texture/particles)2detailed; thorough3subtle; delicate; sensitive4refined (opposite of crude)
He's a jazz aficionado who listens to old vinyl every night and knows artists' histories in detail.
3 more examplesShow less
ลุงlungเป็นbpenนักเลงnák-leengเหล้าlâoแต่dtɛ̀ɛไม่mâiดื่มdʉ̀ʉmสุ่มสี่สุ่มห้าsùm-sìi-sùm-hâaเขาkǎoศึกษาsʉ̀k-sǎaกลิ่นglìnและlɛ́รสrótอย่างจริงจังyàang-jing-jang
My uncle is a liquor connoisseur, not a reckless drinker; he studies aromas and flavors seriously.
กลุ่มglùmนี้níiเป็นbpenนักเลงnák-leengของเก่าkɔ̌ɔng-gàoเดินdəənตลาดนัดdtà-làat-nátทุกtúkสัปดาห์sàp-daaและlɛ́แลกเปลี่ยนlɛ̂ɛk-bplìianความรู้kwaam-rúuเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangแสตมป์sà-dtɛɛmหายากhǎa-yâak
This group are aficionados of antiques; they visit flea markets weekly and exchange knowledge about rare stamps.
เธอtəəเป็นbpenนักเลงnák-leengกาแฟgaa-fɛɛที่tîiพิถีพิถันpí-tǐi-pí-tǎnตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛการเลือกgaan-lʉ̂ʉakแหล่งปลูกlɛ̀ng-bplùukจนถึงjon-tʉ̌ngโปรไฟล์bproo-faiการคั่วgaan-kûuaและlɛ́วิธีwí-tiiสกัดsà-gàt
She is a meticulous coffee aficionado, from choosing origins to roast profiles and extraction methods.
3AdjectiveB2
rowdy; thuggish (attrib.)
describing behavior or style like that of a thug or gangster; used attributively (e.g., a rowdy, bully-like person)
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillพูดจาpûut-jaaพูดจาpûut-jaa[to] speak; talk (how one speaks)แบบbɛ̀ɛpแบบbɛ̀ɛp1style; type; kind; manner2classifier for types, styles, or designs3model; pattern; design; template4form; questionnaire5model; person posing6in a ... way; -ly (pre-head adverbial marker)นักเลงnák-leengนักเลงnák-leeng1gangster; thug; bully2enthusiast; aficionado3rowdy; thuggish (attrib.)ชอบchɔ̂ɔpชอบchɔ̂ɔp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)ข่มคนkòm-konข่มคนkòm-kon1[to] bully; intimidate [sb]2[to] domineer over people; [to] act superior to othersอื่นʉ̀ʉnอื่นʉ̀ʉn1other; different; else2other; anotherในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ที่ทำงานtîi-tam-ngaanที่ทำงานtîi-tam-ngaanworkplace; office
He talks in a thug-like way and likes to bully others at work.
3 more examplesShow less
เพื่อนบ้านpʉ̂ʉan-bâanมีmiiท่าทีtâa-tiiนักเลงnák-leengชอบchɔ̂ɔpตะคอกdtà-kɔ̂ɔkและlɛ́ข่มขู่kòm-kùuเวลาwee-laaใครkraiทักท้วงták-túuang
The neighbor acts like a thug, often yelling and threatening when anyone objects.
สไตล์sà-dtaiการขับรถgaan-kàp-rótของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoมันmanนักเลงnák-leengมากmâakขับkàpปาดหน้าbpàat-nâaแล้วlɛ́ɛoเบรกbrèekใส่sàiคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉn
His driving style is very thug-like, cutting in front and brake-checking others.
ผู้จัดpûu-jàtการใช้ภาษาgaan-chái-paa-sǎaนักเลงnák-leengกับgàpลูกน้องlûuk-nɔ́ɔngทำให้tam-hâiบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatในnaiทีมtiimตึงเครียดdtʉng-krîiat
The manager uses gangster-like language with subordinates, creating a tense team atmosphere.
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 classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- 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 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
นักnákนักnák1person engaged in [field/activity]; specialist; -er/-ist (prefix)2very; greatly; muchperson engaged in [field/activity]; specialist; -er/-ist (prefix)Part 1
+
นักเลงnák-leengนักเลงnák-leenggangster; thug; bullygangster; thug; bullyWord