นัว
nuuaMeanings
1AdjectiveB2
rounded; well-blended (flavor)
Describes a taste that is rounded, smooth, and well‑blended, often with umami depth; not sharp or one‑note.
Examples
ต้มยำdtôm-yamต้มยำdtôm-yamtom yum (spicy-sour Thai soup)ชามchaamชามchaam1bowl2portion (bowlful)3classifier: bowls/bowlfulsนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)รสกลมกล่อมrót-glom-glɔ̀ɔmรสกลมกล่อมrót-glom-glɔ̀ɔmwell-balanced, mellow tasteนัวnuuaนัวnuua1rounded; well-blended (flavor)2[to] taste rounded and well-blendedกำลังดีgam-lang-diiกำลังดีgam-lang-dii1just right; suitable2to just the right degreeไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)เปรี้ยวbprîiaoเปรี้ยวbprîiao1sour; tart (taste)2sour-smelling3stylish/edgy (slang)โดดdòotโดดdòot1[to] jump; leap2alone; by oneself; solo3[to] skip (class/duty); cut4markedly; conspicuously; by a large margin
This tom yum has a well-rounded taste, nicely mellow and not sharply sour.
3 more examplesShow less
แกงเขียวหวานgɛɛng-kǐiao-wǎanที่tîiอร่อยà-rɔ̀iจะjàนัวnuuaลึกlʉ́kมีmiiความกลมกล่อมkwaam-glom-glɔ̀ɔmที่tîiไม่mâiแหลมคมlɛ̌ɛm-kom
A delicious green curry has deep umami and a rounded, smooth taste without sharpness.
รสนัวrót-nuuaของkɔ̌ɔngซุปsúpมาจากmaa-jàakความกลมกล่อมkwaam-glom-glɔ̀ɔmที่tîiทุกtúkอย่างเข้ากันyàang-kâo-ganไม่มีmâi-miiรสrótไหนnǎiโดดdòotออกมาɔ̀ɔk-maa
The soup’s nŭa quality comes from a harmonious balance where everything blends and no flavor sticks out.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaรสชาติrót-châatนัวnuuaจะjàรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀kละมุนlá-munและlɛ́ต่อเนื่องdtɔ̀ɔ-nʉ̂ʉangบนbonลิ้นlínเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanรสrótอุมามิù-maa-míที่tîiคลุมklumทั้งtángคำkam
When the flavor is 'nua', it feels gentle and continuous on the tongue, like umami enveloping the whole bite.
2VerbB2
[to] taste rounded and well-blended
To have a mellow, harmonious, savory flavor, with the tastes blending well together.
Examples
ต้มยำdtôm-yamต้มยำdtôm-yamtom yum (spicy-sour Thai soup)หม้อmɔ̂ɔหม้อmɔ̂ɔ1pot; cooking pot2jar; pot (earthen/ceramic)3electric rice cooker (colloquial)4transformer (colloq.)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เคี่ยวkîiaoเคี่ยวkîiao1[to] simmer; reduce2[to] concentrate; process by prolonged heating3stingy; tight-fisted4[to] drill; train strictly; push hard5[to] nag; harp on; keep pressingต่อdtɔ̀ɔต่อdtɔ̀ɔ1[to] continue; go on2per; each (rate/unit)3[to] connect; attach; join4[to] bargain; haggle5[to] renew; extendอีกหน่อยìik-nɔ̀iอีกหน่อยìik-nɔ̀i1a little more2in a little while; soonรสrótรสrót1taste; flavor2style; tone; flavor (figurative)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)นัวnuuaนัวnuua1rounded; well-blended (flavor)2[to] taste rounded and well-blendedขึ้นkʉ̂nขึ้นkʉ̂n1[to] go up; rise; ascend2[to] increase3[to] board; get on4result complement: upward/better5postverbal particle: onset or occurrence6[to] sprout; grow; appear7northward/up-countryไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)แหลมlɛ̌ɛmแหลมlɛ̌ɛm1pointed; sharp; tapering2shrill; piercing (sound)3cape; headland4keen; shrewd; perceptiveเกินไปgəən-bpaiเกินไปgəən-bpaitoo; overly; excessively
Simmer this tom yum a bit longer and the flavors will meld, becoming less sharp.
3 more examplesShow less
พอใส่po sàiน้ำปลาnáam bplaaและláeน้ำตาลnáam dtaanนิดเดียวnít diaoรสชาติrót-châatแกงgaengก็gâwเริ่มrêrmนัวnuuaและláeกลมกล่อมglom glòm
After adding just a bit of fish sauce and sugar, the curry’s flavors started to blend into a smooth balance.
ซอสsɔ́ɔtต้องdtɔ̂ngเคี่ยวkîiaoให้hâiข้นkônเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiนัวnuuaกลบglòpความคมkwaam-komของkɔ̌ɔngมะเขือเทศmá-kʉ̌ʉa-têet
The sauce needs to be reduced to thicken so the flavors meld, softening the tomato’s sharpness.
เชฟchéepใส่sàiกะปิgà-bpìเล็กน้อยlék-nɔ́ɔiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiน้ำพริกนัวnáam-prík-nuuaรสชาติrót-châatรวมกันruuam-ganอย่างyàangกลมglomและlɛ́มีmiiอูมามิuu-maa-mí
The chef adds a bit of shrimp paste to make the nam prik flavors meld into a rounded, umami-rich balance.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
nuua
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low 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 | — | — |