นาค
nâakMeanings
1NounB1
naga; mythical serpent
a mythical serpent or dragon-like being (naga) in Indian and Southeast Asian traditions; often depicted as a multi-headed serpent in Thai art and architecture.
Examples
เด็กๆdèk dèkเด็กๆdèk dèk1children; kids2childish; immature3easy; trivial (colloquial)เห็นhĕnเห็นhĕn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asรูปปั้นrûup bpânรูปปั้นrûup bpânstatue; sculpted figureนาคnâakนาคnâak1naga; mythical serpent2pre-ordination man; candidate for monkhoodที่têeที่têe1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerบันไดban-daiบันไดban-dai1stairs; staircase2ladder3stairway (figurative path upward)วัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessแล้วláeoแล้วláeo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)ถามtăamถามtăam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeทำไมtam maiทำไมtam mai1why (question word)2why (expressing disbelief/complaint)นาคnâakนาคnâak1naga; mythical serpent2pre-ordination man; candidate for monkhoodถึงtĕungถึงtĕung1to; until; up to2[to] arrive; reach3to; toward (recipient/goal)4even if; even though5as much as; as many as; to the point of6about; concerning; regardingมีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoหลายlăaiหลายlăaimany; severalเศียรsĭianเศียรsĭian1head (sacred figure/statue)2head (honorific/formal)
The children saw a naga statue on the temple stairs and asked why the naga has many heads.
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ตำนานdtam-naanเล่าlâoว่าwâaนาคnâakเป็นbpenงูใหญ่nguu-yàiผู้pûuคอยkɔɔiปกปักรักษาbpòk-bpàk-rák-sǎaแม่น้ำmɛ̂ɛ-náam
Legend says that the naga is a great serpent that protects rivers.
ในnaiศิลปะไทยsǐn-lá-bpà-taiนาคnâakมักmákถูtǔuกวาดgwàatเป็นbpenงูnguuหลวงlǔuangหลายlǎaiเศียรsǐianล้อมรอบlɔ́ɔm-rɔ̂ɔpองค์ongพระพุทธเจ้าprá-pút-tá-jâao
In Thai art, the naga is often depicted as a multi-headed royal serpent encircling the Buddha.
งานสถาปัตยกรรมngaan-sà-tǎa-bpàt-dtà-yá-gamล้านนาláan-naaมักmákใช้cháiลายlaaiนาคnâakประดับbprà-dàpซุ้มประตูsúm-bprà-dtuuเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสื่อถึงsʉ̀ʉ-tʉ̌ngพลังpá-langคุ้มครองkúm-krɔɔngและlɛ́ความศักดิ์สิทธิ์kwaam-sàk-sìtตามdtaamคติká-dtìอินเดียin-diiaเอเชียอาคเนย์ee-chiia-aa-ká-nee
Lanna architecture often features naga motifs on gateways, symbolizing protective power and sacredness in the Indian–Southeast Asian tradition.
บันไดวิหารban-dai-wí-hǎanมีmiiนาคnâakเลื้อยlʉ́ʉaiยาวyaaoเป็นbpenราวจับraao-jàpสองsɔ̌ɔngข้างkâangสวยงามsǔuai-ngaamมากmâak
The temple staircase has naga sculptures stretching along both sides as balustrades; it’s very beautiful.
ช่างทาสีchâng-taa-sǐiซ่อมsɔ̂mนาคnâakหน้าบันnâa-banไดdaiให้hâiสีเขียวsǐi-kǐiaoมันวาวman-waaoเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanใหม่mài
The craftsman repainted the naga on the stairway to a glossy green, making it look new.
นาคnâakที่tîiเชิงchəəngบันไดban-daiเจดีย์jee-diiถูกtùukแกะสลักgɛ̀-sà-làkอย่างประณีตyàang-bprà-nîitลวดlûuatลายเกล็ดlaai-glètซ้อนsɔ́ɔnชั้นchánรับกับráp-gàpโค้งkóongสถาปัตยกรรมsà-tǎa-bpàt-dtà-yá-gam
The naga at the base of the pagoda’s stairs is intricately carved, with layered scale patterns complementing the architectural curves.
ช่างchângหล่อบรอนซ์lɔ̀ɔ-brɔɔnสร้างsâangนาคnâakคู่kûuเฝ้าfâoบันไดban-daiโดยdooiอิงingแบบโบราณbɛ̀ɛp-boo-raanแต่dtɛ̀ɛปรับbpràpสัดส่วนsàt-sùuanให้hâiเข้ากับkâo-gàpอาคารaa-kaanร่วมสมัยrûuam-sà-mǎi
The bronze caster created a pair of naga guarding the stairs, based on ancient models but adjusted in proportion to suit the contemporary building.
2NounB2
pre-ordination man; candidate for monkhood
a man who has shaved his head and is prepared to be ordained as a Buddhist monk; used for a man in the period before or during the ordination ceremony.
Examples
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiพรุ่งนี้prûng-níi1tomorrow (the day after today)2tomorrow; on the day after todayน้องชายnɔ́ɔng-chaaiน้องชายnɔ́ɔng-chaai1younger brother2penis (euphemistic)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เข้าkâoเข้าkâo1[to] enter; go in2[to] put in; insert3[to] understand4[to] join; enter (an organization, school, etc.)5[to] fit; suit; match6rice (archaic; dialectal)7[to] enter; reach (a period or stage)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)นาคnâakนาคnâak1naga; mythical serpent2pre-ordination man; candidate for monkhoodเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillโกนผมgoon-pǒmโกนผมgoon-pǒm[to] shave one's headเตรียมตัวdtriiam-dtuuaเตรียมตัวdtriiam-dtuua[to] prepare oneself; get readyสำหรับsǎm-ràpสำหรับsǎm-ràp1for; intended for; for the purpose of2as for; regardingพิธีบวชpí-tii-bùuatพิธีบวชpí-tii-bùuatordination ceremonyแล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)
Tomorrow my younger brother will become an ordinand; he has shaved his head in preparation for the ordination ceremony.
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ตอนเช้าdtɔɔn-cháoญาติช่วยyâat-chûuaiกันganแต่งตัวdtɛ̀ng-dtuuaให้hâiนาคnâakก่อนgɔ̀ɔnแห่hɛ̀ɛไปbpaiวัดwátทำtamพิธีบวชpí-tii-bùuat
In the morning, relatives helped dress the ordinand before the procession to the temple for the ordination ceremony.
ตามธรรมเนียมdtaam-tam-niiamนาคnâakต้องdtɔ̂ngถือศีลtʉ̌ʉ-sǐinและlɛ́เตรียมใจdtriiam-jaiให้hâiสงบsà-ngòpก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเข้าสู่kâo-sùuพิธีอุปสมบทpí-tii-ù-bpà-sǒm-bòt
By tradition, the ordinand must observe precepts and calm his mind before entering the ordination ceremony.
ระหว่างrá-wàangพิธีpí-tiiนาคnâakนั่งnângสำรวมsǎm-ruuamอยู่yùuหน้าnâaโบสถ์bòotรับrápคำแนะนำkam-nɛ́-namจากjàakพระอาจารย์prá-aa-jaanก่อนgɔ̀ɔnกล่าวglàaoคำขอkam-kɔ̌ɔบวชbùuat
During the ceremony, the ordinand sat composed in front of the ordination hall, receiving guidance from the preceptor before reciting the ordination request.
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 endingDead syllableLong vowelEnds in -ค, a stop, so it is dead.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
nâak
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + No tone mark + Dead syllable · Long vowel → 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 | — | — |