น้อย

nɔ́ɔi

Meanings

1AdjectiveA1

few; little; small (amount/number)

small in amount or number; not many or much

Examples

ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)กระเป๋าgrà-bpǎoกระเป๋าgrà-bpǎo1bag; handbag; purse2pocket3wallet4classifier: ใบมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoเงินngənเงินngən1money2funds; finances3silver (metal)น้อยnɔ́ɔiน้อยnɔ́ɔi1few; little; small (amount/number)2less; to a lesser degree3young; junior (name/title use)4seldom; rarely
There is little money in the bag.
3 more examples
วันนี้wan-níiคนkonมาmaaน้อยมากnɔ́ɔi-mâak
Very few people came today.
น้ำnáamในnaiแก้วgɛ̂ɛoน้อยnɔ́ɔiจนjonแทบtɛ̂ɛpไม่พอmâi-pɔɔดื่มdʉ̀ʉm
There is so little water in the glass that it's hardly enough to drink.
ห้องประชุมhɔ̂ng-bprà-chumมีmiiเก้าอี้gâo-îiน้อยnɔ́ɔiเราraoต้องdtɔ̂ngยืนรอyʉʉn-rɔɔ
There are few chairs in the meeting room; we have to stand and wait.
2AdjectiveA2

less; to a lesser degree

smaller in amount, degree, or extent when compared with something else

Examples

ปีนี้bpii-níiปีนี้bpii-níi1this year2this year; during the current yearฝนfǒnฝนfǒn1rain2[to] file; grind; honeน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàaน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàa1less than; fewer than2under; belowปีก่อนbpii-gɔ̀ɔnปีก่อนbpii-gɔ̀ɔnlast year; the previous year
This year there is less rain than last year.
3 more examples
ฉันchǎnกินข้าวgin-kâaoน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàaปกติbpòk-gà-dtìเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเพราะprɔ́ไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iสบายsà-baai
I ate less rice than usual yesterday because I wasn’t feeling well.
ถ้าtâaใส่sàiน้ำตาลnám-dtaanน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàaนี้níiรสชาติrót-châatจะjàไม่mâiหวานเลี่ยนwǎan-lîian
If you add less sugar than this, the taste won’t be cloyingly sweet.
งบประมาณngóp-bprà-maanปีนี้bpii-níiน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàaที่tîiคาดkâatทำtamให้hâiเราraoต้องdtɔ̂ngตัดdtàtกิจกรรมgìt-jà-gamบางส่วนbaang-sùuanออกɔ̀ɔk
This year’s budget is smaller than expected, so we have to cut some activities.
3AdjectiveB1

young; junior (name/title use)

younger or junior in age/status, often used as a name element or title

Examples

พี่pîiพี่pîi1older sibling2older person (informal address)พาpaaพาpaa1[to] take; bring; lead [sb]2[to] lead to; result inน้องnɔ́ɔngน้องnɔ́ɔng1younger sibling2junior; younger personน้อยnɔ́ɔiน้อยnɔ́ɔi1few; little; small (amount/number)2less; to a lesser degree3young; junior (name/title use)4seldom; rarelyไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastโรงเรียนroong-riianโรงเรียนroong-riian1school (institution)2school (building)ทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoทุกเช้าtúk-cháaoevery morning
The older sibling takes little Nong Noi to school every morning.
2 more examples
ในnaiทีมวิจัยteem wí-jaiฉันchănถือว่าtĕuu wâaเป็นbpenรุ่นrûnน้อยnóiจึงjeungต้องdtôngเรียนรู้riian róoงานngaanจากjàakพี่pêeๆ-หลายlăaiด้านdâan
In the research team, I'm considered junior, so I have to learn many aspects of the work from seniors.
ในnaiคณะká-náละครlá-kɔɔnเขาkǎoเป็นbpenศิษย์sìtน้อยnɔ́ɔiที่tîiเพิ่งpə̂ngเข้าkâoวงwongจึงjʉngต้องdtɔ̂ngตามดูdtaam-duuครูkruuซ้อมsɔ́ɔmอย่างใกล้ชิดyàang-glâi-chít
In the theater troupe, he is a junior pupil who just joined, so he has to closely observe the master's rehearsals.
4AdverbB2

seldom; rarely

happening infrequently; used adverbially to mean rarely

Examples

ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastดูคอนเสิร์ตduu-kɔɔn-sə̀ətดูคอนเสิร์ตduu-kɔɔn-sə̀ət[to] watch a concertน้อยnɔ́ɔiน้อยnɔ́ɔi1few; little; small (amount/number)2less; to a lesser degree3young; junior (name/title use)4seldom; rarelyเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingงานยุ่งngaan-yûngงานยุ่งngaan-yûngbusy at workและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toประหยัดbprà-yàtประหยัดbprà-yàt1economical; cost‑saving2[to] save; be thrifty
I rarely go to concerts because I'm busy with work and need to save money.
3 more examples
เขาkǎoกลับบ้านglàp-bâanต่างจังหวัดdtàang-jang-wàtน้อยnɔ́ɔiช่วงนี้chûuang-níiติดdtìtงานngaanบ่อยbɔ̀i
He rarely goes back to his hometown; lately he's often tied up with work.
พวกเราpûuak-raoคุยkuiเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangการเมืองgaan-mʉʉangน้อยnɔ́ɔiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaหลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangการถกเถียงgaan-tòk-tǐiangที่tîiไม่จำเป็นmâi-jam-bpen
We rarely talk about politics to avoid unnecessary arguments.
หลังจากlǎng-jàakย้ายyáaiที่ทำงานtîi-tam-ngaanใหม่màiฉันchǎnได้dâaiออกกำลังกายɔ̀ɔk-gam-lang-gaaiน้อยกว่าnɔ́ɔi-gwàaที่tîiตั้งใจdtâng-jaiไว้wáiมากmâak
After moving to a new workplace, I exercise far less often than I intended.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classLow class
  2. Tone markMai tho
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

High tone

nɔ́ɔi

Starts high and keeps climbing.

Low class + Mai tho → High

Tone chart

Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.

Mid classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

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