นาย
naaiMeanings
1NounA2
Mr. (male title)
A formal title placed before the name of an adult man, equivalent to ‘Mr.’
Examples
นี่nîiนี่nîi1this (colloq.)2this; this one (pronoun)3here is…; look/listen (attention-getter)คือkʉʉคือkʉʉ1to be (definition/identification)2namely; that is; i.e.นายnaaiนายnaai1Mr. (male title)2boss; employer; superior3chief; leader; master4you (informal, usually to a male peer)สมชายsǒm-chaaiสมชายsǒm-chaaiSomchai (male given name)ครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)
This is Mr. Somchai.
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Yesterday I met Mr. Wittaya at the conference.
Tomorrow Mr. Adul will come as a speaker.
กรุณาgà-rú-naaยื่นเอกสารyʉ̂ʉn-èek-gà-sǎanให้hâiนายnaaiประสิทธิ์bprà-sìtเซ็นsenก่อนgɔ̀ɔnสิ้นวันsîn-wan
Please submit the documents for Mr. Prasit to sign before the end of the day.
2NounA2
boss; employer; superior
A person in charge or with authority over workers; an employer or superior.
Examples
นายnaaiนายnaai1Mr. (male title)2boss; employer; superior3chief; leader; master4you (informal, usually to a male peer)ของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsผมpǒmผมpǒm1I; me (male speaker, polite)2hair (on the head)ใจดีjai-diiใจดีjai-diikind; good-naturedและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)คอยkɔɔiคอยkɔɔi1[to] wait (for [sb]/[sth])2keep (doing); regularly (do)3[to] be on standby; be readyช่วยเหลือchûuai-lʉ̌ʉaช่วยเหลือchûuai-lʉ̌ʉa1[to] help; assist2to rescue; to provide reliefลูกน้องlûuk-nɔ́ɔngลูกน้องlûuk-nɔ́ɔng1subordinate; junior staff; underling2follower in a gang or group
My boss is kind and always helps subordinates.
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Yesterday the boss called me in to talk about a new task.
If there is a problem, inform the boss directly.
นายnaaiคนเก่าkon-gàoของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoเข้มงวดkêm-ngûuatมากmâakแต่dtɛ̀ɛก็gɔ̂ยุติธรรมyú-dtì-tamและlɛ́ให้โอกาสhâi-oo-gàatในnaiการพัฒนาgaan-pát-tá-naa
His former boss was very strict, but fair and provided opportunities for development.
3NounB1
chief; leader; master
A person who commands or leads a group; sometimes used in hierarchical or feudal contexts.
Examples
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanชาวบ้านchaao-bâan1villagers; locals; rural residents2ordinary people; laypeople; the public3folksy; colloquial; plain (as a modifier)ยกให้yók-hâiยกให้yók-hâi1[to] give; bestow; transfer (ownership/rights)2[to] let [sb] have; concede; yield3[to] entrust (a task/decision) to [sb]4[to] hail/recognize [sb/sth] as; designate as5[to] credit [sth] to [sb/sth]; attribute toนายnaaiนายnaai1Mr. (male title)2boss; employer; superior3chief; leader; master4you (informal, usually to a male peer)ของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsพวกเขาpûuak-kǎoพวกเขาpûuak-kǎothey; them (people)นำnamนำnam1[to] bring; take; lead2[to] lead; guideทีมtiimทีมtiimteam; groupไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastต่อรองdtɔ̀ɔ-rɔɔngต่อรองdtɔ̀ɔ-rɔɔng1[to] bargain; haggle2[to] negotiate (terms/conditions)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เจ้าหน้าที่jâao-nâa-tîiเจ้าหน้าที่jâao-nâa-tîiofficial; officer; staff member
The villagers appointed their leader to head the team to negotiate with the officials.
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ในnaiกองgɔɔngทัพจำลองtáp-jam-lɔɔngนี้níiมีmiiนายnaaiคอยkɔɔiสั่งการsàng-gaanและlɛ́จัดแถวjàt-tɛ̌ɛoลูกทีมlûuk-tiim
In this mock army, there is a leader who commands and arranges the ranks of the team.
ชาวนาchaao-naaเล่าlâoว่าwâaเมื่อก่อนmʉ̂ʉa-gɔ̀ɔnหมู่บ้านmùu-bâanต้องdtɔ̂ngฟังfangคำkamของkɔ̌ɔngนายnaaiผู้มีอิทธิพลpûu-mii-ìt-tí-pon
The farmer said that in the past the village had to obey the influential leader.
ในnaiระบบrá-bòpศักดินาsàk-dì-naaนายnaaiมักmákเป็นbpenผู้pûuรวมอำนาจruuam-am-nâatสั่งการsàng-gaanลูกสมุนlûuk-sà-mǔnและlɛ́ดูแลduu-lɛɛผลประโยชน์pǒn-bprà-yòotของตระกูลkɔ̌ɔng-dtrà-guun
In a feudal system, the leader typically consolidates power, commands followers, and safeguards the family’s interests.
4PronounC1
you (informal, usually to a male peer)
A second-person pronoun used informally to address a male friend or peer.
Examples
นายnaaiนายnaai1Mr. (male title)2boss; employer; superior3chief; leader; master4you (informal, usually to a male peer)จงjongจงjong[impv] (formal) do …; must …รายงานผลraai-ngaan-pǒnรายงานผลraai-ngaan-pǒn1results report; outcome report2[to] report resultsให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3[to] have [sb] do; cause to4for (benefit of)5so that; in order to6until; to the point that (result)ข้าพเจ้าkâa-pá-jâaoข้าพเจ้าkâa-pá-jâaoI; me (formal/written)ทราบsâapทราบsâap1[to] know; be aware (polite/formal)2[to] learn; be informed (polite/formal)ภายในpaai-naiภายในpaai-nai1inside; internal2inside; indoors3within; inside (place/scope)4within (time limit); byวันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at present
You, report the results to me within today.
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ในnaiพิธีสวนสนามpí-tii-sǔuan-sà-nǎamผู้บังคับบัญชาpûu-bang-káp-ban-chaaกล่าวglàaoกับgàpทหารtá-hǎanว่าwâaนายnaaiจัดแถวjàt-tɛ̌ɛoให้เรียบร้อยhâi-rîiap-rɔ́ɔiเดี๋ยวนี้dǐiao-níi
During the parade, the commander said to the soldiers, “You, arrange the formation properly now.”
ในnaiรายraaiงานราชการngaan-râat-chá-gaanผู้pûuตรวจการdtrùuat-gaanเขียนkǐianว่าwâaขอให้kɔ̌ɔ-hâiนายnaaiดำเนินการdam-nəən-gaanตามdtaamคำสั่งkam-sàngโดยเคร่งครัดdooi-krêeng-krát
In the official report, the inspector wrote, “You are to carry out the order strictly.”
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaทรงมีsong-miiพระราชกระแสรับสั่งprá-râat-chá-grà-sɛ̌ɛ-ráp-sàngเจ้าพนักงานjâao-pá-nák-ngaanจึงjʉngกราบทูลgràap-tuunว่าwâaนายnaaiพร้อมprɔ́ɔmถวายtà-wǎaiรายงานraai-ngaanแล้วlɛ́ɛoพ่ะpâย่ะyâค่ะkâ
When His Majesty gave a royal command, the officer prostrated and said, “I am ready to present the report, sir.”
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 syllableEnds in -ย, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
naai
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 | — | — |