ยัย
yaiMeaning
1ParticleB2
colloquial prefix for a female (familiar, teasing, or mildly disrespectful)
A colloquial prefix used before a woman's or girl's name, or a noun referring to a female, to express a range of attitudes from familiarity and teasing among friends to mild disrespect or annoyance.
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herเห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asยัยyaiยัยyaicolloquial prefix for a female (familiar, teasing, or mildly disrespectful)พลอยplɔɔiพลอยplɔɔi1Ploy (female given name)2gem; gemstone3also; as a resultบ้างbâangบ้างbâang1some; any (unspecified, small set)2sometimes; occasionally3plural/variety marker (after question/request)4somewhat; at least a littleไหมmǎiไหมmǎi1yes–no question particle; or not?2silkพอดีpɔɔ-diiพอดีpɔɔ-dii1just right; exactly suitable2exactly; just (in time/amount)3just enough4happen to; by chance5[to] fit exactly; be just rightมีเรื่องmii-rʉ̂ʉangมีเรื่องmii-rʉ̂ʉang1[to] have an issue; something came up2[to] get into a quarrel/fightจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)คุยด้วยkui-dûuaiคุยด้วยkui-dûuai[to] talk with [sb]น่ะnâน่ะnâ1sentence-final emphasis or explanation particle2post-topic marker/highlighter
Have you seen Ploy? I need to talk to her about something.
3 more examplesShow less
ยัยyaiคนkonนั้นnánที่ใส่tîi-sàiชุดchútสีแดงsǐi-dɛɛngเป็นใครbpen-kraiเหรอrə̌əไม่เคยmâi-kəəiเห็นหน้าhěn-nâaเลยləəi
Who's that girl in the red dress? I've never seen her before.
ฉันchǎnไม่mâiอยากจะyàak-jàเชื่อchʉ̂ʉaเลยləəiว่าwâaยัยyaiนั่นnânจะjàกล้าglâaพูดpûutแบบนั้นbɛ̀ɛp-nánต่อหน้าdtɔ̀ɔ-nâaทุกคนtúk-kon
I can't believe that girl had the nerve to say that in front of everyone.
พี่น้องpîi-nɔ́ɔngก็gɔ̂แบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiแหละlɛ̀เดี๋ยวdǐiaoก็gɔ̂เรียกrîiakกันganยัยyaiตัวแสบdtuua-sɛ̀ɛpเดี๋ยวdǐiaoก็gɔ̂กอดคอgɔ̀ɔt-kɔɔกันgan
This is how siblings are; one moment they're calling each other 'that little troublemaker', the next they're hugging.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ยัย said ไย?
yai
- Vowel spellingัย is read like the vowel ไ (ai).
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ย, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
yai
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |