ผีฟ้า
pǐi-fáaMeaning
1NounC1
sky spirit; heavenly deity; healing spirit
a heavenly spirit or deity in Thai–Lao folk belief, especially in Isan, invoked in ritual healing.
Examples
คุณยายkun-yaaiคุณยายkun-yaaimaternal grandmother; respectful term for an elderly womanเล่าlâoเล่าlâo1[to] tell; narrate; recount2particle (emphasis/insistence)3question or topic particle (literary)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeสมัยsà-mǎiสมัยsà-mǎi1period; era; age2term; tenure3during; in the time ofก่อนเวลาgɔ̀ɔn-wee-laaก่อนเวลาgɔ̀ɔn-wee-laa1early; ahead of schedule2too soon; prematurelyใครkraiใครkrai1who2anyone; whoeverเจ็บป่วยjèp-bpùuaiเจ็บป่วยjèp-bpùuai[to] be ill; be sickไม่ทราบmâi-sâapไม่ทราบmâi-sâap1[to] not know [sth]; be unaware (polite/formal)2I don't know3[polite preface] May I ask…; Do you happen to know…สาเหตุsǎa-hèetสาเหตุsǎa-hèetcause; reasonชาวบ้านchaao-bâanชาวบ้านchaao-bâan1villagers; locals; rural residents2ordinary people; laypeople; the public3folksy; colloquial; plain (as a modifier)มักจะmák-jàมักจะmák-jàoften; usually (habit/frequency)จัดพิธีjàt-pí-tiiจัดพิธีjàt-pí-tii[to] hold a ceremony; [to] organize a ceremonyรำramรำram1[to] dance (traditional)2rice branผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaผีฟ้าpǐi-fáasky spirit; heavenly deity; healing spiritเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉa1for; in order to2for the sake of; on behalf ofขอให้kɔ̌ɔ-hâiขอให้kɔ̌ɔ-hâi1May ...; I wish that ...2to request that; to ask thatช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]รักษาrák-sǎaรักษาrák-sǎa1[to] treat; cure2[to] preserve; maintain; keep3[to] guard; look after; protect4[to] keep (a promise/law); observe5[to] hold (a position); serve as
My grandmother said that in the old days, when someone fell ill with an unknown cause, villagers would often organize a Phi Fa dance ceremony to ask for healing.
3 more examplesShow less
พิธีกรรมpí-tii-gamฟ้อนfɔ́ɔnผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaไม่ใช่mâi-châiแค่kɛ̂ɛการรักษาโรคgaan-rák-sǎa-rôokแต่ยังdtɛ̀ɛ-yangสะท้อนsà-tɔ́ɔnความเชื่อkwaam-chʉ̂ʉaของkɔ̌ɔngชุมชนchum-chonในnaiภาคอีสานpâak-ii-sǎanที่tîiมีmiiต่อdtɔ̀ɔอำนาจam-nâatเหนือธรรมชาติnʉ̌ʉa-tam-má-châatและlɛ́ผีฟ้าpǐi-fáa
The Phi Fa dance ritual is not just for healing illnesses, but also reflects the Isan community's belief in supernatural powers and the sky spirits.
การสืบทอดgaan-sʉ̀ʉp-tɔ̂ɔtร่างทรงrâang-songของkɔ̌ɔngผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaมักmákเกิดขึ้นgə̀ət-kʉ̂nภายในpaai-naiสายsǎaiตระกูลdtrà-guunโดยdooiเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaเป็นbpenผู้pûuเลือกlʉ̂ʉakผู้สืบทอดpûu-sʉ̀ʉp-tɔ̂ɔtด้วยตนเองdûuai-dton-eengผ่านpàanอาaaการเจ็บป่วยgaan-jèp-bpùuaiหรือrʉ̌ʉนิมิตní-mít
The succession of a Phi Fa medium often occurs within a lineage, as it is believed that the sky spirit itself selects the successor through illness or visions.
แม้mɛ́ɛในทางวิทยาศาสตร์nai-taang-wít-tá-yaa-sàatจะjàหาhǎaข้อพิสูจน์kɔ̂ɔ-pí-sùutไม่ได้mâi-dâaiแต่dtɛ̀ɛสำหรับsǎm-ràpผู้ศรัทธาpûu-sàt-taaแล้วlɛ́ɛoผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaคือkʉʉที่พึ่งทางใจtîi-pʉ̂ng-taang-jaiและlɛ́เป็นbpenส่วนสำคัญsùuan-sǎm-kanของkɔ̌ɔngอัตลักษณ์àt-dtà-lákทางวัฒนธรรมtaang-wát-tá-ná-tamของkɔ̌ɔngพวกเขาpûuak-kǎo
Although it cannot be scientifically proven, for believers, the Phi Fa spirits are a source of spiritual support and an essential part of their cultural identity.
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 classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
pǐi
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Rising
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
+
ผีฟ้าpǐi-fáaผีฟ้าpǐi-fáasky spirit; heavenly deity; healing spiritsky spirit; heavenly deity; healing spiritWord