ว่าว
wâaoMeanings
1NounA1
kite (toy)
A light frame covered with paper or cloth, flown on a string in the wind as a toy.
Examples
เด็กๆdèk dèkเด็กๆdèk dèk1children; kids2childish; immature3easy; trivial (colloquial)ชอบchôpชอบchôp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)ชักchákชักchák1[to] pull; [to] draw (toward oneself/along)2[to] raise/lower (a flag, blinds)3[to] begin to; start to4[to] have convulsions; [to] twitch5seizure; convulsion (episode)6[to] draw up (liquid into a syringe)7[to] withdraw; [to] pull backว่าวwâaoว่าวwâao1kite (toy)2classifier: ตัว3kite (fishing trap)4[to] ejaculate; [to] come (male) (slang)5[to] miss out; fail (slang)ที่têeที่têe1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerสนามหญ้าsà-năam yâaสนามหญ้าsà-năam yâa1lawn; grassy yard2grass pitch; turf field
The kids like to fly kites on the lawn.
3 more examplesShow less
The wind is good today; we took a kite to play at the beach.
Dad taught me to tie the kite string tightly before letting it up into the sky.
The wind was too strong, so our kite fell and its frame broke.
2ClassifierA2
classifier: ตัวตัวdtuua1character; figure2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3body; self; person (colloq.)
The classifier used when counting kites is ตัวตัวdtuua1character; figure2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3body; self; person (colloq.).
Examples
เด็กdèkเด็กdèk1child; kid2young; not yet grown up3young person (informal)สองsɔ̌ɔngสองsɔ̌ɔng1two; 22secondคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoว่าวwâaoว่าวwâao1kite (toy)2classifier: ตัว3kite (fishing trap)4[to] ejaculate; [to] come (male) (slang)5[to] miss out; fail (slang)สามตัวsǎam-dtuuaสามตัวsǎam-dtuua1three (with classifier ตัว)2three-digit lottery number
Two children have three kites.
3 more examplesShow less
Yesterday we flew two kites at the beach.
Tomorrow the teacher will lend one kite for the competition.
ในnaiงานประเพณีngaan-bprà-pee-niiมีmiiการประกวดgaan-bprà-gùuatว่าวwâaoหลายlǎaiประเภทbprà-pêetบางคนbaang-konเอาaoว่าวwâaoหกhòkว่าวwâaoมาmaaร่วมrûuamแสดงsà-dɛɛng
At the traditional festival, there are contests for many types of kites; some people bring six kites to display.
3NounB2
kite (fishing trap)
A traditional fish-catching device shaped like a kite, used in some regions.
Examples
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanชาวบ้านchaao-bâan1villagers; locals; rural residents2ordinary people; laypeople; the public3folksy; colloquial; plain (as a modifier)ใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderว่าวwâaoว่าวwâao1kite (toy)2classifier: ตัว3kite (fishing trap)4[to] ejaculate; [to] come (male) (slang)5[to] miss out; fail (slang)ดักdàkดักdàk1[to] set a trap; ambush; lie in wait2[to] intercept; cut off (someone’s path or message)3[to] head off; preempt [sb]/[sth] (colloquial)ปลาbplaaปลาbplaa1fish (animal)2fish (as food)3classifier: ตัวในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)นาnaaนาnaapaddy field; rice fieldน้ำหลากnáam-làakน้ำหลากnáam-làakfloodwaters; high waterมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerยกขึ้นyók-kʉ̂nยกขึ้นyók-kʉ̂n1[to] lift; raise; hoist2[to] elevate; raise in rank or statusตรวจดูdtrùuat-duuตรวจดูdtrùuat-duuto check; inspect; examine
Villagers use a kite-shaped fish trap in the rice fields and lift it to check when the water rises.
3 more examplesShow less
พ่อสอนpɔ̂ɔ-sɔ̌ɔnผมpǒmทำว่าวtam-wâaoจับปลาjàp-bplaaใช้cháiไม้ไผ่máai-pàiดัดdàtเป็นbpenโครงkroongแล้วlɛ́ɛoขึงkʉ̌ngตาข่ายdtaa-kàai
Dad taught me to make a kite-shaped fish catcher by bending bamboo for the frame and stretching netting over it.
เวลาwee-laaน้ำnáamขึ้นkʉ̂nชาวประมงchaao-bprà-mongท้องถิ่นtɔ́ɔng-tìnจะjàตั้งdtângว่าวwâaoตามdtaamทางน้ำtaang-náamไหลlǎiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiปลาbplaaเข้าไปkâo-bpaiติดdtìt
When the water rises, local fishers set kite-shaped traps along the current so fish get caught inside.
ในnaiบางbaangชุมชนchum-chonภาคอีสานpâak-ii-sǎanว่าวwâaoถูกtùukใช้cháiคู่กับkûu-gàpไชchaiและlɛ́ไซsaiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเพิ่มpə̂əmโอกาสoo-gàatจับปลาjàp-bplaaในnaiลำlamห้วยตื้นhûuai-dtʉ̂ʉn
In some communities in Isan, the kite-shaped trap is used alongside other traps like chai and sai to improve the chances of catching fish in shallow creeks.
4VerbB2
[to] ejaculate; [to] come (male) (slang)
For a male to ejaculate, often implying masturbation or sexual climax. Informal/colloquial usage.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillพูดเล่นpûut-lênพูดเล่นpûut-lên[to] joke; [to] kidกับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉnเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉn1last night (the night before today)2last nightว่าวwâaoว่าวwâao1kite (toy)2classifier: ตัว3kite (fishing trap)4[to] ejaculate; [to] come (male) (slang)5[to] miss out; fail (slang)จนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofเหนื่อยnʉ̀ʉaiเหนื่อยnʉ̀ʉai1tired; exhausted2[to] get tired; become tired3tiring; exhausting
He joked with his friends that he ejaculated last night until he was exhausted.
3 more examplesShow less
A friend teased, asking if he had just ejaculated, because he looked sleepy.
ในnaiกลุ่มเพื่อนglùm-pʉ̂ʉanผู้ชายpûu-chaaiบางคนbaang-konใช้cháiคำkamว่าวwâaoพูดถึงpûut-tʉ̌ngการgaanถึงจุดสุดยอดtʉ̌ng-jùt-sùt-yɔ̂ɔtแบบbɛ̀ɛpล้อเล่นlɔ́ɔ-lênแม้mɛ́ɛจะjàเป็นbpenคำkamไม่เป็นทางการmâi-bpen-taang-gaan
Among male friends, some use the word 'wao' to jokingly refer to reaching climax, even though it's informal.
เขาkăoยอมรับyom rápแบบbàepขำๆkăm kămว่าwâaเผลอplĕrว่าวwâaoบ่อยbòiช่วงchûuangเครียดkrîatแต่dtàeนั่นnânเป็นbpenเรื่องส่วนตัวrêuuang sùuan dtuuaที่têeไม่mâiพูดpôotในnaiที่têeทางการtaang gaan
He jokingly admitted that he ejaculates often when stressed, but that's a private matter not discussed in formal settings.
5VerbC1
[to] miss out; fail (slang)
to fail to get what one hoped for; to miss an opportunity (slang)
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
wâao
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
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 | — | — |