สมัย
sà-mǎiMeanings
1NounA2
period; era; age
a particular span of time in history or in someone’s life
Examples
สมัยเด็กsà-mǎi-dèkสมัยเด็กsà-mǎi-dèkchildhoodฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ชอบchɔ̂ɔpชอบchɔ̂ɔp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)เล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)โดดdòotโดดdòot1[to] jump; leap2alone; by oneself; solo3[to] skip (class/duty); cut4markedly; conspicuously; by a large marginยางyaangยางyaang1rubber (material)2tire; tyre3latex; sap4rubber band (colloq.)5para rubber tree6resin; gum (botany)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellow
When I was a child, I liked to play jump rope with friends.
3 more examplesShow less
In the Ayutthaya era, the country had a lot of waterway trade.
สมัยsà-mǎiมหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiฉันchǎnทำtamงานพิเศษngaan-pí-sèetหลังlǎngเลิกเรียนlə̂ək-riian
During my university years, I worked part-time after classes.
สมัยsà-mǎiวิกฤตเศรษฐกิจwí-grìt-sèet-tà-gìtพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛต้องdtɔ̂ngประหยัดbprà-yàtทุกอย่างtúk-yàangเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaผ่านpàanช่วงนั้นchûuang-nánไปbpai
During the economic crisis, my parents had to economize on everything to get through that period.
2NounB1
term; tenure
a fixed period of holding office, study, or service
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)ประธานนักเรียนbprà-taan-nák-riianประธานนักเรียนbprà-taan-nák-riianstudent body president; student council presidentสองsɔ̌ɔngสองsɔ̌ɔng1two; 22secondสมัยsà-mǎiสมัยsà-mǎi1period; era; age2term; tenure3during; in the time ofติดกันdtìt-ganติดกันdtìt-gan1adjacent; side-by-side2consecutively; in a row3side-by-side; next to each other4[to] be attached/contiguous
He served as student president for two consecutive terms.
3 more examplesShow less
นายกเทศมนตรีnaa-yók-têet-sà-mon-dtriiประกาศbprà-gàatนโยบายná-yoo-baaiใหม่màiสำหรับsǎm-ràpสมัยนี้sà-mǎi-níi
The mayor announced new policies for this term.
ครูkruuจะjàดำรงตำแหน่งdam-rong-dtam-nɛ̀ngหัวหน้าhǔua-nâaระดับชั้นrá-dàp-chánอีกìikหนึ่งnʉ̀ngสมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔnเกษียณgà-sǐian
The teacher will serve one more term as grade-level head before retiring.
สภาsà-paaนักศึกษาnák-sʉ̀k-sǎaกำหนดgam-nòtวาระwaa-ráการทำงานgaan-tam-ngaanหนึ่งnʉ̀ngสมัยsà-mǎiเท่ากับtâo-gàpหนึ่งnʉ̀ngปีการศึกษาbpii-gaan-sʉ̀k-sǎa
The student council defines one term of service as one academic year.
3PrepositionB1
during; in the time of
used before a noun or name to indicate when something happened or existed
Examples
สมัยเด็กsà-mǎi-dèkสมัยเด็กsà-mǎi-dèkchildhoodฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ชอบchɔ̂ɔpชอบchɔ̂ɔp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)เล่นlênเล่นlên1[to] play; have fun2[to] play (game/sport/instrument)3[to] act; perform (role)4casually; for fun (manner marker)5[to] tease; kid; mess with6[to] use; engage in; take up (colloq.)โดดdòotโดดdòot1[to] jump; leap2alone; by oneself; solo3[to] skip (class/duty); cut4markedly; conspicuously; by a large marginยางyaangยางyaang1rubber (material)2tire; tyre3latex; sap4rubber band (colloq.)5para rubber tree6resin; gum (botany)ทุกวันtúk-wanทุกวันtúk-wan1every day; daily2daily; occurring every day
When I was a child, I liked to play Chinese jump rope every day
3 more examplesShow less
สมัยเรียนsà-mǎi-riianมหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiผมpǒmทำtamงานพาร์ทไทม์ngaan-páat-taiที่tîiร้านกาแฟráan-gaa-fɛɛ
When I was in university, I worked part-time at a coffee shop
สมัยsà-mǎiที่tîiคุณตาkun-dtaaยังมีชีวิตyang-mii-chii-wítอยู่yùuบ้านแถวbâan-tɛ̌ɛoนี้níiยังyangเป็นbpenทุ่งนาtûng-naaอยู่yùuเลยləəi
In Grandpa’s time, this area was still rice fields
สมัยsà-măiเริ่มrêrmทำงานtam ngaanใหม่màiๆ-ฉันchănต้องdtôngปรับตัวbpràp dtuuaกับgàpวัฒนธรรมองค์กรwát-tá-ná-tam ong-gonอย่างหนักyàang nàk
When I first started working, I had to adapt a lot to the company culture
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is สมัย said สะ-ไหม?
sà-mǎi
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
sà
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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 | — | — |