มหาลัย
má-hǎa-laiMeaning
1NounB1
university (colloquial)
Colloquial shortening of มหาวิทยาลัยมหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiuniversity; an institution of higher education that grants degrees.
Examples
พี่สาวpîi-sǎaoพี่สาวpîi-sǎaoolder sister; elder female siblingจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เข้าkâoเข้าkâo1[to] enter; go in2[to] put in; insert3in; inward4[to] understand (in เข้าใจ)5[to] join; enter (an organization, school, etc.)6[to] fit; suit; match7rice (archaic; dialectal)8[to] enter; reach (a period or stage)มหาลัยmá-hǎa-laiมหาลัยmá-hǎa-laiuniversity (colloquial)ปีหน้าbpii-nâaปีหน้าbpii-nâanext yearที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerเชียงใหม่chiiang-màiเชียงใหม่chiiang-màiChiang Mai (city and province in northern Thailand)
My older sister will enter university next year in Chiang Mai.
3 more examplesShow less
ตอนdtɔɔnอยู่yùuมหาลัยmá-hǎa-laiผมpǒmเลือกlʉ̂ʉakเอกวิศวกรรมèek-wít-sà-wá-gamเพราะprɔ́ชอบchɔ̂ɔpคำนวณkam-nuuan
When I was in university, I chose engineering as my major because I like calculations.
มหาลัยmá-hǎa-laiแห่งนี้hɛ̀ng-níiมีmiiชมรมchom-romเยอะมากyə́-mâakทำให้tam-hâiนักศึกษาnák-sʉ̀k-sǎaหาhǎaเพื่อนใหม่pʉ̂ʉan-màiได้dâaiง่ายngâai
This university has many clubs, making it easy for students to make new friends.
มหาลัยmá-hǎa-laiควรkuuanเป็นbpenพื้นที่pʉ́ʉn-tîiที่tîiเปิดโอกาสให้bpə̀ət-oo-gàat-hâiถกเถียงtòk-tǐiangอย่างเสรีyàang-sěe-riiและlɛ́พัฒนาpát-tá-naaความคิดkwaam-kítเชิงวิพากษ์chəəng-wí-pâak
A university should be a space that allows free debate and develops critical thinking.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is มหาลัย said มะ-หา-ไล?
má-hǎa-lai
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
3 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableShort vowelA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
High tone
má
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Low class + No tone mark + Dead syllable · Short vowel → High
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 | — | — |