วาที
waa-tiiMeaning
1NounC1
speaker; one who speaks (formal/literary)
A person who speaks or makes a statement; also used in compounds referring to speakers or disputants.
Examples
พี่สาวpîi-sǎaoพี่สาวpîi-sǎaoolder sister; elder female siblingเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)นักโต้วาทีnák-dtôo-waa-tiiนักโต้วาทีnák-dtôo-waa-tiidebater; participant in formal/competitive debateของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsโรงเรียนroong-riianโรงเรียนroong-riian1school (institution)2school (building)และlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)มักจะmák-jàมักจะmák-jà1often; usually (habit/frequency)2tend to; be apt/prone to (general tendency)ฝึกfʉ̀kฝึกfʉ̀k1[to] practice; train (oneself); exercise (a skill)2[to] train; coach (someone)3[to] drill; discipline (sb)พูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutหน้าnâaหน้าnâa1face2front; frontage3page4next; upcoming5in front; at the front6season; time of year7topping (food)กระจกgrà-jòkกระจกgrà-jòk1mirror2glass (material; pane; sheet)
My older sister is a debater on the school team and often practices speaking in front of a mirror.
3 more examplesShow less
นักโต้วาทีnák-dtôo-waa-tiiที่ดีtîi-diiต้องdtɔ̂ngฟังfangเหตุผลhèet-pǒnของkɔ̌ɔngอีกฝ่ายìik-fàaiให้hâiเข้าใจkâo-jaiก่อนจะgɔ̀ɔn-jàโต้แย้งdtôo-yɛ́ɛng
A good debater needs to understand the other side’s reasoning before arguing against it.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàถูกtùukตั้งคำถามdtâng-kam-tǎamอย่างหนักyàang-nàkนักโต้วาทีnák-dtôo-waa-tiiฝ่ายfàaiเสนอsà-nə̌əผู้นี้pûu-níiก็gɔ̂ยังyangชี้แจงchíi-jɛɛngจุดยืนjùt-yʉʉnได้dâaiอย่างyàangสุขุมsù-kǔmโดยdooiไม่mâiพาดพิงpâat-pingเรื่องส่วนตัวrʉ̂ʉang-sùuan-dtuuaของkɔ̌ɔngคู่แข่งkûu-kɛ̀ng
Despite facing intense questioning, this debater on the affirmative side calmly explained their position without bringing up personal matters about their opponents.
เสน่ห์sà-nèeของkɔ̌ɔngนักโต้วาทีnák-dtôo-waa-tiiคนนี้kon-níiไม่ได้mâi-dâaiอยู่ที่yùu-tîiคารมคมคายkaa-rom-kom-kaaiเพียงอย่างเดียวpiiang-yàang-diiaoแต่dtɛ̀ɛอยู่ที่yùu-tîiการgaanหยิบyìpเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangใกล้ตัวglâi-dtuuaมาmaaอธิบายà-tí-baaiประเด็นbprà-denซับซ้อนsáp-sɔ́ɔnให้hâiผู้ฟังpûu-fangคล้อยตามklɔ́ɔi-dtaam
This debater’s appeal lies not just in their eloquence, but in using familiar examples to explain complex issues and win the audience over.
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
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
waa
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
วาwaaวาwaa1wa (Thai length unit; 2 meters)2square wa (colloq.; Thai area unit; 4 square meters)wa (Thai length unit; 2 meters)Part 1
+
ทีtiiทีtii1turn; chance; opportunity; one’s shot2time; occasion; instance3classifier: times; hits; strokes; attempts4please; for me (request particle)turn; chance; opportunity; one’s shotPart 2
วาทีwaa-tiiวาทีwaa-tiispeaker; one who speaks (formal/literary)speaker; one who speaks (formal/literary)Word