ลาย
laaiMeanings
1NounA2
pattern; design
a decorative or repeated design on a surface, fabric, or object
Examples
ผ้าpâaผ้าpâa1cloth; fabric; textile2cloth item3classifier: ผืน (pieces of cloth); ม้วน (rolls); พับ (bolts)ผืนpʉ̌ʉnผืนpʉ̌ʉn1classifier (flat expanses/items)2sheet; stretch (flat expanse)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoลายดอกไม้laai-dɔ̀ɔk-máaiลายดอกไม้laai-dɔ̀ɔk-máaifloral pattern; floral printสวยมากsǔuai-mâakสวยมากsǔuai-mâakvery beautiful; gorgeous
This piece of cloth has a very beautiful floral pattern.
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ฉันchănซื้อséuแก้วgâewที่têeมีmeeลายlaaiกราฟิกgráa-fìkเรียบๆrîiap rîiapไว้ใช้wái cháiที่บ้านtêe bâan
I bought a cup with a simple graphic pattern to use at home.
กำแพงgam-pɛɛngร้านráanถูกtùukทาสีtaa-sǐiเป็นbpenลายlaaiเรขาคณิตree-kǎa-ká-nítสลับsà-làpสีsǐiดูduuโดดเด่นdòot-dèen
The shop wall was painted with alternating geometric patterns that stand out.
ดีไซเนอร์dee-sai-nerเลือกlêuuakผ้าpâaที่têeมีmeeลายlaaiกราฟิกgráa-fìkเล็กๆlék lékสำหรับsăm-ràpตัดdtàtชุดchútเพื่อให้pêuua hâiดูdooสุภาพsù-pâapแต่ยังdtàe yangมีmeeลูกเล่นlôok lên
The designer chose fabric with small graphic patterns for the outfit to look neat yet playful.
2NounA2
marking; stripe; streak
a line, stripe, or distinctive marking on a surface, animal, or object
Examples
เสือsʉ̌ʉaเสือsʉ̌ʉa1tiger2formidable person (figurative)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoลายlaaiลายlaai1pattern; design2marking; stripe; streak3true colors; underlying character4patterned; marked5pattern; design (classifier)6[to] be patterned; show marksดำdamดำdam1black; very dark (color)2[to] be/turn black3dark-skinned; tan (can be sensitive)4[to] dive; go underwaterบนbonบนbon1on; upon; in; above2upper; top3[to] vow (at a shrine)ตัวdtuuaตัวdtuua1body; self; person (colloq.)2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3character; figure
The tiger has black stripes on its body.
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That fish has long orange stripes along its sides.
3NounB1
true colors; underlying character
a person's underlying character or habitual behavior, especially an unfavorable character revealed through their actions, as in ออกลายออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laai1[to] show one's true colors2[to] show a pattern/markings
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเริ่มrə̂əmเริ่มrə̂əm1[to] start; begin2[to] start to; begin toออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laaiออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laai1[to] show one's true colors2[to] show a pattern/markingsแล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)โกหกgoo-hòkโกหกgoo-hòk1[to] lie; tell a lie2lie; falsehood (uncommon as a noun)อีกแล้วìik-lɛ́ɛoอีกแล้วìik-lɛ́ɛoagain; once more (often with annoyance)
He's starting to show his true colors—he's lying again.
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ตอนแรกdtɔɔn-rɛ̂ɛkเพื่อนร่วมงานpʉ̂ʉan-rûuam-ngaanคนนี้kon-níiดูใจduu-jaiดีdiiแต่dtɛ̀ɛพอpɔɔทำงานtam-ngaanด้วยกันdûuai-ganนานnaanเข้าkâoก็gɔ̂เริ่มrə̂əmออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laaiชอบchɔ̂ɔpโยนyoonงานngaanให้hâiคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉn
This coworker seemed kind at first, but after we'd worked together for a while, they began showing their true colors, always dumping work on others.
พอpɔɔยืมyʉʉmเงินได้ngən-dâaiเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laaiไม่mâiรับสายráp-sǎaiและlɛ́ไม่mâiตอบdtɔ̀ɔpข้อความkɔ̂ɔ-kwaamเลยləəi
Once he'd borrowed the money, he showed his true colors, refusing to answer calls or reply to messages.
แม้mɛ́ɛเขาkǎoจะjàวางตัวwaang-dtuuaเป็นกลางbpen-glaangมาตลอดmaa-dtà-lɔ̀ɔtแต่dtɛ̀ɛเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaผลประโยชน์pǒn-bprà-yòotของตัวเองkɔ̌ɔng-dtuua-eengถูกtùukกระทบgrà-tópเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ออกลายɔ̀ɔk-laaiด้วยdûuaiการข่มgaan-kòmขู่kùuคนkonที่tîiเห็นต่างhěn-dtàang
Although he had always presented himself as neutral, once his own interests were affected, he showed his true colors by threatening those who disagreed.
4AdjectiveB1
patterned; marked
having a pattern or marked lines on the surface (attributive use)
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)เสื้อเชิ้ตsʉ̂ʉa-chə́ətเสื้อเชิ้ตsʉ̂ʉa-chə́ətshirt (with collar and buttons)ที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoลายจุดlaai-jùtลายจุดlaai-jùtpolka dot; spotted patternไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaanไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaan[to] go to work
She wore a polka-dot shirt to work.
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เขาkǎoชอบchɔ̂ɔpผ้าพันคอpâa-pan-kɔɔที่tîiมีmiiลายทางlaai-taangเพราะprɔ́เข้ากับkâo-gàpเสื้อsʉ̂ʉaโค้ตkóotสีเข้มsǐi-kêm
He likes a striped scarf because it matches his dark coat.
กระเบื้องgrà-bʉ̂ʉangลายlaaiหินอ่อนhǐn-ɔ̀ɔnบนbonพื้นpʉ́ʉnช่วยchûuaiเพิ่มpə̂əmมิติmí-dtìให้hâiห้องhɔ̂ngดูduuกว้างขึ้นgwâang-kʉ̂n
The marble-patterned tiles on the floor add depth that makes the room look wider.
5ClassifierB1
pattern; design (classifier)
classifier for patterns or designs
Examples
ผ้าpâaผ้าpâa1cloth; fabric; textile2cloth item3classifier: ผืน (pieces of cloth); ม้วน (rolls); พับ (bolts)ผืนpʉ̌ʉnผืนpʉ̌ʉn1classifier (flat expanses/items)2sheet; stretch (flat expanse)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoลายlaaiลายlaai1pattern; design2marking; stripe; streak3true colors; underlying character4patterned; marked5pattern; design (classifier)6[to] be patterned; show marksกี่gìiกี่gìi1how many; how much2how many? (pron.)3loom; weaving loomลายlaaiลายlaai1pattern; design2marking; stripe; streak3true colors; underlying character4patterned; marked5pattern; design (classifier)6[to] be patterned; show marksคะkáคะkápolite particle (female; question softener)
How many patterns does this piece of fabric have?
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The tattoo artist asked which design I wanted before starting.
ถ้าtâaจะjàพิมพ์pimผ้าpâaให้hâiตรงdtrongคอนเซ็ปต์kɔɔn-sépต้องเลือกdtɔ̂ng-lʉ̂ʉakใช้cháiลายlaaiเดียวกันdiiao-ganทั้งtángคอลเลกชันkɔɔn-lêek-chânเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaความกลมกลืนkwaam-glom-glʉʉn
If we want the fabric printing to fit the concept, we must use the same pattern throughout the collection for cohesion.
6VerbB2
[to] be patterned; show marks
to display or bear a pattern or markings
Examples
ผนังpà-nǎngผนังpà-nǎng1wall (of a room/building)2wall (anatomy/biology)เริ่มrə̂əmเริ่มrə̂əm1[to] start; begin2[to] start to; begin toลายlaaiลายlaai1pattern; design2marking; stripe; streak3true colors; underlying character4patterned; marked5pattern; design (classifier)6[to] be patterned; show marksเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)คราบน้ำkrâap-náamคราบน้ำkrâap-náamwater stain; water markเพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingหลังคาlǎng-kaaหลังคาlǎng-kaaroofรั่วrûuaรั่วrûua1leaky; not watertight2[to] leak (liquid/gas)3[to] leak (information)4insecure; prone to leaks (figurative)มานานmaa-naanมานานmaa-naanfor a long time (up to now)
The wall has started to show streaked markings from water because the roof has been leaking for a long time.
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ปลอกbplɔ̀ɔkหมอนmɔ̌ɔnที่tîiซักsákหลายlǎaiครั้งkrángเริ่มrə̂əmลายlaaiซีดลงsîit-longจนjonแทบtɛ̂ɛpมองไม่เห็นmɔɔng-mâi-hěn
The pillowcase, after many washes, bears such faded markings that they’re barely visible.
ใบหน้าbai nâaของkŏngชายชราchaai chá-raaค่อยๆkôi kôiลายlaaiเป็นbpenจุดjùtกระgràจากjàakแดดจัดdàet jàtทำให้tam hâiดูมีเสน่ห์doo mee sà-nàyแบบbàepคนทำงานkon tam ngaanกลางแจ้งglaang jâeng
The old man’s face gradually displays sun freckles, giving him the charm of someone who works outdoors.
พื้นpéunซีเมนต์see-ménหน้าบ้านnâa bâanลายlaaiเป็นรอยbpen roiแตกdtàekร้าวซับซ้อนráao sáp sónจนjonต้องdtôngเรียกrîakช่างchângมาmaaประเมินbprà-mernความปลอดภัยkwaam bplòt pai
The concrete floor in front of the house bears a complex web of cracks, so we had to call a technician to assess safety.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
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
laai
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 | — | — |