พ่อขุน

pɔ̂ɔ-kǔn

Meaning

1NounC2

ancient Thai royal title; king

a historical Thai title for a sovereign ruler, especially in the Sukhothai era, connoting a paternal, benevolent kingship

Examples

ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)สมัยsà-mǎiสมัยsà-mǎi1period; era; age2term; tenure3during; in the time ofสุโขทัยsù-kǒo-taiสุโขทัยsù-kǒo-tai1Sukhothai Province2Sukhothai city (Mueang Sukhothai)3Sukhothai Kingdom/Capitalกษัตริย์gà-sàtกษัตริย์gà-sàtking; monarch; sovereignทรงมีsong-miiทรงมีsong-mii[to] have; possess (royal/honorific)สถานะsà-tǎa-náสถานะsà-tǎa-ná1status; standing2state; conditionเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)พ่อขุนpɔ̂ɔ-kǔnพ่อขุนpɔ̂ɔ-kǔnancient Thai royal title; kingซึ่งsʉ̂ngซึ่งsʉ̂ng1which; that (relative pronoun)2which/and this; introducing explanationปกครองbpòk-krɔɔngปกครองbpòk-krɔɔng1[to] govern; rule2[to] administer; overseeประชาชนbprà-chaa-chonประชาชนbprà-chaa-chon1classifier: คน2the public; the people (citizens of a country)เหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughพ่อpɔ̂ɔพ่อpɔ̂ɔ1father; dad2sir; mister (rural/archaic)3prefix: male person; leader; father figureดูแลduu-lɛɛดูแลduu-lɛɛ1[to] take care of; look after2[to] supervise; be in charge of3[to] maintain; keep in good conditionลูกlûukลูกlûuk1child; son; daughter2offspring (of animals); young3ball; spherical object4fruit5classifier: fruits, balls, and certain other objects
In the Sukhothai era, the king held the status of 'Pho Khun', ruling the people as a father cares for his children.
7 more examples

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

  1. Consonant classLow class
  2. Tone markMai ek
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.

Low class consonants

คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ

Result

Falling tone

pɔ̂ɔ

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 classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

Word Breakdown