นางไม้
naang-máaiMeaning
1NounB2
tree spirit; wood nymph; dryad
A female spirit or fairy believed to inhabit trees or forests in Thai folklore; a wood nymph or dryad
Examples
คนไทยkon-taiคนไทยkon-taiThai person; Thai people; Thai nationalโบราณboo-raanโบราณboo-raan1ancient; antique2traditional; old-fashioned3ancient times; the old daysเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâa[to] believe (that) ...ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ต้นไม้ใหญ่dtôn-máai-yàiต้นไม้ใหญ่dtôn-máai-yàilarge tree; big treeมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoนางไม้naang-máaiนางไม้naang-máaitree spirit; wood nymph; dryadอาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùuอาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùu[to] live; reside; dwell; inhabit
Ancient Thai people believed that tree spirits live in large trees.
3 more examplesShow less
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanเอาaoพวงมาลัยpuuang-maa-laiไปไหว้bpai-wâiนางไม้naang-máaiที่tîiต้นไทรdtôn-traiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaขอkɔ̌ɔหวยhǔuai
The villagers took garlands to worship the tree nymph at the banyan tree to ask for lottery numbers.
การตัดgaan-dtàtต้นไม้ใหญ่dtôn-máai-yàiในnaiป่าลึกbpàa-lʉ́kมักmákจะjàต้องdtɔ̂ngทำtamพิธีบวงสรวงpí-tii-buuang-sǔuangเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaขอขมาkɔ̌ɔ-kà-maaนางไม้naang-máaiก่อนเสมอgɔ̀ɔn-sà-mə̌ə
Cutting down large trees in the deep forest usually requires a sacrificial ceremony to ask for forgiveness from the tree spirits first.
ตามdtaamตำนานพื้นบ้านdtam-naan-pʉ́ʉn-bâanนางไม้naang-máaiจะjàปรากฏตัวbpraa-gòt-dtuuaในnaiชุดไทยchút-taiโบราณboo-raanและlɛ́คอยkɔɔiปกป้องbpòk-bpɔ̂ngผืนป่าpʉ̌ʉn-bpàaจากjàakคนkonตัดไม้ทำลายป่าdtàt-máai-tam-laai-bpàa
According to folklore, tree nymphs appear in ancient Thai traditional dress and protect the forest from illegal loggers.
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 endingLive syllableEnds in -ง, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
naang
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
นางnaangนางnaang1lady; woman (formal/literary; honorific)2Mrs. (title before a name)3female role; female character (traditional theatre)4she; her (literary or informal)lady; woman (formal/literary; honorific)Part 1
+
ไม้máaiไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implementwood; timberPart 2
นางไม้naang-máaiนางไม้naang-máaitree spirit; wood nymph; dryadtree spirit; wood nymph; dryadWord