ลำ
lamMeanings
1ClassifierA2
classifier: boats; ships; aircraft; rockets; some musical instruments
A Thai classifier used for long, self-contained units such as boats, ships, aircraft, rockets, and certain wind instruments (e.g., flutes).
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoขลุ่ยklùiขลุ่ยklùiflute; Thai bamboo fluteหนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostลำlamลำlam1classifier: boats; ships; aircraft; rockets; some musical instruments2classifier: beams/rays of light; laser3shaft; trunk; stalk; hull/body (of boat or instrument)4beam; ray (of light)
I have one flute.
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Yesterday we took two boats across the river.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiเครื่องบินkrʉ̂ʉang-binสามsǎamลำlamจะjàลงจอดlong-jɔ̀ɔtที่tîiสนามบินเชียงใหม่sà-nǎam-bin-chiiang-mài
Tomorrow, three aircraft will land at Chiang Mai Airport.
กองทัพgɔɔng-tápปล่อยbplɔ̀iจรวดjà-rùuatสี่sìiลำlamขึ้นkʉ̂nทดสอบtót-sɔ̀ɔpและlɛ́มีmiiเรือrʉʉaหลวงlǔuangอีกìikหนึ่งnʉ̀ngลำlamคอยkɔɔiสนับสนุนsà-nàp-sà-nǔnใกล้glâiชายฝั่งchaai-fàng
The military launched four rockets for testing, with another naval ship supporting near the coast.
2ClassifierB1
classifier: beams/rays of light; laser
A classifier used for distinct beams or rays, especially light or laser beams.
Examples
ฉายchǎaiฉายchǎai1[to] screen; show; air2[to] project (light/image)3[to] emit; radiate (light/glow)4to appear/air (on media)ไฟฉายfai-chǎaiไฟฉายfai-chǎaiflashlight; torchไปเป็นbpai-bpenไปเป็นbpai-bpen[to] go to be; take up a post asลำlamลำlam1classifier: boats; ships; aircraft; rockets; some musical instruments2classifier: beams/rays of light; laser3shaft; trunk; stalk; hull/body (of boat or instrument)4beam; ray (of light)เห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asฝุ่นfùnฝุ่นfùn1dust; fine dry particles2particulate matter (air pollution)ลอยlɔɔiลอยlɔɔi1[to] float; drift2[to] hover; be suspended3floating; adrift4[to] float (price/exchange rate)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)อากาศaa-gàatอากาศaa-gàat1air2weather
Shining the flashlight created a beam that revealed dust in the air.
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The laser cutter sends a very narrow beam to a single point.
แสงอาทิตย์sɛ̌ɛng-aa-títทะลุtá-lúเมฆmêekลงlongมาเป็นmaa-bpenลำlamหลายlǎaiเส้นsênเหนือnʉ̌ʉaทุ่งนาtûng-naa
Sunlight pierced through the clouds in several beams over the fields.
นักวิจัยnák-wí-jaiปรับbpràpกำลังgam-langลำเลเซอร์lam-lee-sə̂əให้hâiเสถียรsà-tǐianเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaวัดตำแหน่งwát-dtam-nɛ̀ngได้dâaiแม่นยำmɛ̂n-yamขึ้นkʉ̂n
Researchers stabilized the laser beam power to measure positions more accurately.
3NounB1
shaft; trunk; stalk; hull/body (of boat or instrument)
The main elongated part of something, such as a shaft, tree trunk, plant stalk, or the hull/body of a boat or a musical instrument.
Examples
ลำlamลำlam1classifier: boats; ships; aircraft; rockets; some musical instruments2classifier: beams/rays of light; laser3shaft; trunk; stalk; hull/body (of boat or instrument)4beam; ray (of light)ต้นกล้วยdtôn-glûuaiต้นกล้วยdtôn-glûuaibanana tree; banana plantในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)สวนsǔuanสวนsǔuan1garden; orchard; park2classifier: gardens/orchards/plantations3[to] oppose; contradict; go against4[to] move against; counter (direction)หนาnǎaหนาnǎa1thick (not thin)2dense; in large quantity3thickly; denselyนุ่มnûmนุ่มnûm1soft (to the touch)2tender (food)3soft/gentle (voice/tone)และlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoน้ำnáamน้ำnáam1water2liquid; fluid3juice; extract4sauce; broth5bodily fluid (in compounds)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
The banana plant’s stalk in the garden is thick, soft, and full of sap.
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The craftsman is polishing the body of the guitar smooth before repainting it.
We climbed the mango tree’s trunk to pick the fruit that was high up.
เรือไม้rʉʉa-máaiเก่าgàoลำlamนี้níiมีmiiลำเรือlam-rʉʉaแข็งแรงkɛ̌ng-rɛɛngแต่dtɛ̀ɛต้องdtɔ̂ngซ่อมsɔ̂mส่วนหัวsùuan-hǔuaและlɛ́ท้ายtáai
This old wooden boat has a sturdy hull, but its bow and stern need repairs.
4NounB1
beam; ray (of light)
A beam or ray, especially of light; often in technical or descriptive contexts.
Examples
ลำlamลำlam1classifier: boats; ships; aircraft; rockets; some musical instruments2classifier: beams/rays of light; laser3shaft; trunk; stalk; hull/body (of boat or instrument)4beam; ray (of light)แสงเลเซอร์sɛ̌ɛng-lee-sə̂əแสงเลเซอร์sɛ̌ɛng-lee-sə̂əlaser light; laser beamสีแดงsǐi-dɛɛngสีแดงsǐi-dɛɛng1the color red2red; red-coloredพุ่งตรงpûng-dtrongพุ่งตรงpûng-dtrong[to] head straight for; [to] go directly towardsไปยังbpai-yangไปยังbpai-yangto; toward (a destination)เป้าbpâoเป้าbpâo1target; aim2goal; objective3crotch (of trousers); crotch; groin
A red laser beam shoots straight toward the target.
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นักดาราศาสตร์nák-daa-raa-sàatสังเกตsǎng-gèetลำแสงlam-sɛ̌ɛngจากjàakดาวฤกษ์daao-rə̂əkที่tîiส่องผ่านsɔ̀ɔng-pàanกล้องโทรทรรศน์glɔ̂ng-too-rá-tát
Astronomers observe the beam of light from a star through a telescope.
เมื่อmêuuaหมอกmòkหนาnăaเราraoมองเห็นmong hĕnเพียงpiiangลำแสงlam săengไฟฉายfai chăaiฝ่าfàaความมืดkwaam mûetไปทีbpai teeละláช่วงchûuang
When the fog is thick, we can only see the flashlight’s beam cutting through the darkness bit by bit.
เครื่องฉายkrʉ̂ʉang-chǎaiสร้างsâangลำแสงlam-sɛ̌ɛngแคบkɛ̂ɛpและlɛ́เข้มkêmเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiภาพคมชัดpâap-kom-chátแม้mɛ́ɛในnaiห้องhɔ̂ngที่tîiมีmiiแสงsɛ̌ɛngรบกวนróp-guuan
The projector generates a narrow, intense beam so that the image stays sharp even in a room with ambient light.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ลำ said ลัม?
lam
- Vowel spellingThe vowel ำ already ends in an m sound, so it is respelled ัม.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
lam
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 | — | — |