ผีสือ
pǐi-sʉ̌ʉMeaning
1NounB2
krasue ghost (Isan)
An Isan name for กระสือกระสือgrà-sʉ̌ʉtype of Thai ghost (floating head), a spirit in folklore believed to leave its human body at night as a floating head with internal organs hanging beneath it.
Examples
ยายyaaiยายyaai1grandmother (maternal)2old woman (informal; can be rude)เล่าlâoเล่าlâo1[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; criticizeผีสือpĕe sĕuผีสือpĕe sĕukrasue ghost (Isan)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ออกหากินòk hăa ginออกหากินòk hăa gin1[of animals] go out to forage2[of people] go out to earn a livingตอนกลางคืนdton glaang keunตอนกลางคืนdton glaang keun1at night; during the night2nighttime; the night periodเด็กdèkเด็กdèk1child; kid2young; not yet grown up3young person (informal)ๆ-จึงjeungจึงjeung1therefore; so; thus2only then; then (as a result)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyเดินไปdern bpaiเดินไปdern bpai[to] walk to [somewhere]หลังบ้านlăng bâanหลังบ้านlăng bâan1back of the house; backyard2domestic affairs; family side (figurative)3wife (figurative)4back office; behind-the-scenes operationsคนเดียวkon diiaoคนเดียวkon diiao1alone; by oneself; unaccompanied2only one person; sole
Grandma said that the phi sue spirit comes out to feed at night, so the children were afraid to go behind the house alone.
3 more examplesShow less
ในnaiนิทานní-taanที่tîiปู่bpùuเล่าlâoผีสือpǐi-sʉ̌ʉมีแต่mii-dtɛ̀ɛหัวhǔuaกับgàpไส้sâiห้อยhɔ̂ɔiอยู่yùuข้างล่างkâang-lâangและlɛ́ลอยlɔɔiไปมาbpai-maaในnaiความมืดkwaam-mʉ̂ʉt
In Grandpa's story, the phi sue spirit was just a head with intestines hanging beneath it, floating around in the darkness.
ตามdtaamความเชื่อkwaam-chʉ̂ʉaของkɔ̌ɔngชาวอีสานchaao-ii-sǎanผีสือpǐi-sʉ̌ʉจะjàถอดtɔ̀ɔtหัวhǔuaออกจากɔ̀ɔk-jàakร่างrâangพร้อมprɔ́ɔmเครื่องในkrʉ̂ʉang-naiในเวลากลางคืนnai-wee-laa-glaang-kʉʉnแล้วlɛ́ɛoกลับglàpเข้าkâoร่างrâangก่อนgɔ̀ɔnฟ้าสางfáa-sǎang
According to Isan beliefs, the phi sue spirit leaves its body at night as a head with internal organs attached, then returns to its body before dawn.
แม้máeจะไม่มีjà mâi meeใครkraiยืนยันyeun yanว่าwâaเคยkoeiเห็นhĕnผีสือpĕe sĕuจริงjingๆ-แต่dtàeเรื่องเล่าrêuuang lâoถึงtĕungหัวhŭuaที่têeลอยloiไปbpaiพร้อมprómเครื่องในkrêuuang naiก็gâwยังyangทำให้tam hâiเด็กdèkบางคนbaang konกลัวgluuaความมืดkwaam mûet
Although no one can confirm having actually seen a phi sue spirit, stories of a floating head with internal organs still make some children afraid of the dark.
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 | — | — |