พี่
pîiMeanings
1NounA1
older sibling
An older brother or sister relative to the speaker.
Examples
พี่ชายpîi-chaaiพี่ชายpîi-chaaiolder brother; elder male siblingทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâanทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâan1[to] do homework2[to] prepare oneself; [to] do researchคณิตká-nítคณิตká-nít1mathematics2mathematical; arithmeticให้hâiให้hâi1[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)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)
My older brother did the math homework for me.
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My older sister likes to take me to eat ice cream.
Yesterday my older sibling came home late because of overtime.
Tomorrow my older sibling will take me to enroll in a tutoring class.
2NounA1
older person (informal address)
A polite way to address or refer to someone older (not necessarily a relative), often used with a name (e.g., พี่เอพี่เอpîi-ee1P' Ae (addressing an elder named Ae)2P' Ae (referring to an elder named Ae)).
Examples
พี่เอpîi-eeพี่เอpîi-ee1P' Ae (addressing an elder named Ae)2P' Ae (referring to an elder named Ae)ว่างไหมwâang-mǎiว่างไหมwâang-mǎi[Are you] free?; [Is it] available?หนูnǔuหนูnǔu1mouse; rat2I; me (polite, childlike/feminine in Thai)3you (addressing a child/younger person)อยากyàakอยากyàak1[to] want; desire2to crave; to long forถามtǎamถามtǎam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateเรื่องงานrʉ̂ʉang-ngaanเรื่องงานrʉ̂ʉang-ngaanwork matters; business
P' Ae, are you free? I want to ask about work.
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P' Toon, could you please look over the documents for me?
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanหนูnǔuเจอjəəพี่เมpîi-meeที่tîiคาเฟ่kaa-fêeเลยləəiชวนคุยchuuan-kuiเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangโปรเจกต์bproo-jèek
Yesterday I met P' May at a café, so I chatted with her about the project.
I’ll send the file to P' Non by email.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
pîi
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
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 | — | — |