บ่าว
bàaoMeanings
1NounB1
bridegroom; groom
a man who is getting married; commonly used in เจ้าบ่าวเจ้าบ่าวjâao-bàaogroom; bridegroom and คู่บ่าวสาวคู่บ่าวสาวkûu-bàao-sǎao1bride and groom2newlyweds (by extension)
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentบ่าวbàaoบ่าวbàao1bridegroom; groom2servant; retainer (archaic/lit.)3young man; lad (dialectal)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เจ้าสาวjâao-sǎaoเจ้าสาวjâao-sǎaobrideแต่งdtɛ̀ngแต่งdtɛ̀ng1[to] dress; get dressed2[to] marry (colloquial)3[to] decorate; adorn4[to] compose; write5[to] modify; tune; customize6[to] arrange; set; styleชุดchútชุดchút1set; collection2outfit; suit; uniform3classifier for sets/outfits/equipment4series; batchพื้นเมืองpʉ́ʉn-mʉʉangพื้นเมืองpʉ́ʉn-mʉʉangnative; indigenous; localงามngaamงามngaam1beautiful; lovely2graceful; elegant; proper3[adv] beautifully; nicelyหลายlǎaiหลายlǎaimany; several
Today the groom and bride are dressed in beautiful traditional attire.
3 more examplesShow less
พอporพิธีpí-teeขันหมากkăn màakมาถึงmaa tŭengบ่าวbàaoยิ้มyímเขินkŏenๆ-ตอนdtonรับrápพานpaanดอกไม้dòk máai
When the engagement procession arrived, the groom smiled shyly as he received the flower tray.
ผู้pûuเฒ่ากล่าวtâo-glàaoอวยพรuuai-pɔɔnให้hâiบ่าวbàaoมีmiiสติปัญญาsà-dtì-bpan-yaaนำพาnam-paaครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuaไปbpaiในnaiทิศทางtít-taangที่ดีtîi-dii
The elder gave a blessing for the groom to have wisdom and lead the family in a good direction.
ในnaiงานเลี้ยงngaan-líiangเจ้าภาพjâo-pâapเชิญchəənบ่าวbàaoขึ้นkʉ̂nเวทีwee-tiiแลกlɛ̂ɛkคำสัญญาkam-sǎn-yaaกับgàpเจ้าสาวjâao-sǎaoท่ามกลางtâam-glaangเสียงแคนsǐiang-kɛɛnและlɛ́เสียงปรบมือsǐiang-bpròp-mʉʉ
At the reception, the host invited the groom on stage to exchange vows with the bride amid the sound of the khaen and applause.
2NounB2
servant; retainer (archaic/lit.)
a servant or attendant, used in historical or literary contexts
Examples
บ่าวbàaoบ่าวbàao1bridegroom; groom2servant; retainer (archaic/lit.)3young man; lad (dialectal)เปิดbpə̀ətเปิดbpə̀ət1[to] open; uncover; unwrap2[to] turn on; switch on3[to] start; launch; open for businessประตูbprà-dtuuประตูbprà-dtuu1door; gate; portal2goal (structure or score)3classifier: doors; gates; goalsรับแขกráp-kɛ̀ɛkรับแขกráp-kɛ̀ɛk1[to] receive; welcome guests/visitors2[to] take clients (sex work)ให้hâiให้hâi1[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)เจ้านายjâo-naaiเจ้านายjâo-naai1boss; employer; superior2master; owner (of servant or animal)3royalty; member of a royal familyในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ยามเช้าyaam-cháaoยามเช้าyaam-cháao1morning2in the morning
The servant opened the door to receive guests for his master in the morning.
3 more examplesShow less
ในnaiคฤหาสน์ká-hàatหลังlăngนั้นnánบ่าวbàaoคอยkoiจุดjùtตะเกียงdtà-giiangและláeเสิร์ฟsèrpน้ำชาnám chaa
In that mansion, the servant would light the lamps and serve tea.
บ่าวbàaoผู้ซื่อสัตย์pûu-sʉ̂ʉ-sàtติดตามdtìt-dtaamคุณหลวงkun-lǔuangไปbpaiทุกtúkหนhǒnแห่งhɛ̀ngแม้mɛ́ɛในnaiยามyaamเดินทางไกลdəən-taang-glai
The faithful attendant followed the nobleman everywhere, even on long journeys.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaได้ยินdâi-yinเสียงระฆังsǐiang-rá-kangบ่าวbàaoก็gɔ̂เร่งrêngไปbpaiแจ้งข่าวjɛ̂ɛng-kàaoแก่gɛ̀ɛเจ้านายjâo-naaiตามธรรมเนียมdtaam-tam-niiamวังwang
Upon hearing the bell, the servant hurried to inform his master in accordance with palace custom.
3NounB2
young man; lad (dialectal)
a young man or boy in some regional dialects (e.g., Isan, Northern)
Examples
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanเมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waan1yesterday (the day before today)2yesterday; yesterday (as an adverb)ไปงานbpai-ngaanไปงานbpai-ngaan[to] attend [an event]บุญbunบุญbun1merit; good karma2meritorious deed3good fortune; blessingที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerอีสานii-sǎanอีสานii-sǎan1Isan (region of Thailand)2Isan; Northeastern Thai3Isan (language/dialect)4northeast (compass point)เห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asบ่าวbàaoบ่าวbàao1bridegroom; groom2servant; retainer (archaic/lit.)3young man; lad (dialectal)คนหนึ่งkon-nʉ̀ngคนหนึ่งkon-nʉ̀ng1one person2a person; someoneดีดdìitดีดdìit1[to] pluck/strum (string instrument)2[to] flick; snap (with the finger)3[to] spring back; rebound4[to] raise; lift by leverage or upward pressureพิณpinพิณpinplucked string instrument; lute; harp; phinเก่งมากgèng-mâakเก่งมากgèng-mâak1very good (at [sth]); highly skilled2well done!; great job!
Yesterday at a merit-making event in Isan, I saw a young man who played the phin very well.
3 more examplesShow less
บ่าวbàaoแถวนั้นtɛ̌ɛo-nánแต่งdtɛ̀ngชุดchútพื้นเมืองpʉ́ʉn-mʉʉangแล้วlɛ́ɛoช่วยchûuaiต้อนรับแขกdtɔ̂ɔn-ráp-kɛ̀ɛkอย่างyàangขยันkà-yǎn
The young men there wore traditional attire and diligently welcomed guests.
คนเฒ่าคนแก่kon-tâo-kon-gɛ̀ɛในnaiหมู่บ้านmùu-bâanมักmákเรียกrîiakเด็กหนุ่มdèk-nùmว่าwâaบ่าวbàaoตามdtaamภาษาถิ่นpaa-sǎa-tìnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaหมายถึงmǎai-tʉ̌ngวัยรุ่นwai-rûnชายchaaiที่tîiแข็งแรงkɛ̌ng-rɛɛngกระฉับกระเฉงgrà-chàp-grà-chěeng
Elders in the village often call young men 'bâo' in the local dialect to refer to energetic young males.
เวลาway-laaมีmeeงานเทศกาลngaan tâyt-sà-gaanบ่าวbàaoในnaiชุมชนchum-chonมักmákรวมกลุ่มกันruam glùm ganจัดjàtขบวนkà-buuanและláeประสานงานbprà-săan ngaanกิจกรรมgìt-jà-gamต่างๆdtàang-dtàang
During festivals, the young men in the community often band together to organize processions and coordinate activities.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
bàao
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + Mai ek → Low
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 | — | — |