ผีเป๋น
pǐi-bpěenMeaning
1NounC2
living ghost (Northern Thai)
A living ghost or spirit of a living person in Northern Thai folklore (such as 'Phi Ka' or 'Phi Pop'), which is believed to reside in a human host and leave the body to feed or possess others.
Examples
คนเฒ่าคนแก่kon-tâo-kon-gɛ̀ɛคนเฒ่าคนแก่kon-tâo-kon-gɛ̀ɛthe elderly; eldersในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ภาคเหนือpâak-nʉ̌ʉaภาคเหนือpâak-nʉ̌ʉa1the North; northern region (of Thailand)2northern (style, food, etc.)เชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâaเชื่อว่าchʉ̂ʉa-wâa[to] believe (that) ...ผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenliving ghost (Northern Thai)คือkʉʉคือkʉʉ1to be (definition/identification)2namely; that is; i.e.วิญญาณwin-yaanวิญญาณwin-yaan1soul; spirit (life force)2ghost; spirit of the deceased3consciousness; awareness (formal)ร้ายráaiร้ายráai1evil; wicked; malicious2severe; grave; serious3fierce; vicious; dangerousที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerสิงอยู่sǐng-yùuสิงอยู่sǐng-yùu1[to] haunt [somewhere]; [to] possess [sb]/[sth]2[to] hang around [somewhere]ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ร่างrâangร่างrâang1body; form; figure2draft; outline3[to] draft; sketch; outlineของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerมีชีวิตmii-chii-wítมีชีวิตmii-chii-wít1[to] be alive; live2alive; living
Old people in the North believe that a 'Phi Pen' is an evil spirit residing in the body of a living person.
3 more examplesShow less
ตำนานdtam-naanล้านนาláan-naaกล่าวถึงglàao-tʉ̌ngลักษณะlák-sà-nàของkɔ̌ɔngผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenว่าwâaมักจะmák-jàออกจากɔ̀ɔk-jàakร่างrâangผู้pûuสิงสู่sǐng-sùuในเวลากลางคืนnai-wee-laa-glaang-kʉʉnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaไปหาbpai-hǎaกินginของสดkɔ̌ɔng-sòtคาวkaao
Lanna legends describe the characteristics of a living ghost, stating that it usually leaves its host's body at night to feed on raw and bloody food.
ความเชื่อkwaam chêuuaเรื่องrêuuangผีเป๋นpĕe bpĕnอย่างyàangผีpĕeกะgàมักจะmák jàเกี่ยวข้องกับgìiao kông gàpการสืบทอดgaan sèup tôtวิถีwí-tĕeไสยศาสตร์săi-yà-sàatทางtaangสายเลือดsăai lêuuatในnaiครอบครัวkrôp kruuaตามdtaamคติชนวิทยาká-dtì-chon-wít-tá-yaaของkŏngชาวเหนือchaao nĕuua
The belief in living ghosts like 'Phi Ka' is often related to the bloodline inheritance of occult practices within a family, according to Northern folklore.
วาทกรรมwaa-tá-gamเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenในnaiสังคมชนบทsǎng-kom-chon-ná-bòtไม่ได้mâi-dâaiเป็นเพียงbpen-piiangแค่kɛ̂ɛเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangลี้ลับlíi-lápแต่ยังdtɛ̀ɛ-yangเป็นbpenเครื่องมือkrʉ̂ʉang-mʉʉทางสังคมtaang-sǎng-komที่tîiใช้cháiควบคุมkûuap-kumและlɛ́กีดกันgìit-ganบุคคลbùk-konที่tîiประพฤติตนbprà-prʉ́t-dtonผิดแผกpìt-pɛ̀ɛkไปbpaiจากjàakจารีตjaa-rîitของkɔ̌ɔngชุมชนchum-chon
The discourse surrounding living ghosts in rural society is not merely an occult matter, but also a social tool used to control and marginalize individuals who deviate from the community's mores.
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
+
เป๋นbpěenเป๋นbpěen1[to] be (Northern Thai)2[to] know how; be skilled (at [sth])3[to] have; suffer from (an illness)[to] be (Northern Thai)Part 2
ผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenผีเป๋นpǐi-bpěenliving ghost (Northern Thai)living ghost (Northern Thai)Word