สาว
sǎaoMeanings
1NounA2
young woman; girl
a young woman; a girl of dating or marriageable age
Examples
ร้านกาแฟráan-gaa-fɛɛร้านกาแฟráan-gaa-fɛɛcoffee shop; caféนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoสาวsǎaoสาวsǎao1young woman; girl2young; youthful (female)3[to] reel; wind; draw inมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerนั่งคุยกันnâng-kui-ganนั่งคุยกันnâng-kui-gan[to] sit and chat togetherทุกtúkทุกtúk1every; each2every (interval/frequency)เย็นyenเย็นyen1cool; chilly2evening (late afternoon to dusk)3cool (personality); calm4[to] be cool; become cool
Young women come to chat at this café every evening.
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เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanผมpǒmเจอjəəสาวsǎaoจากjàakต่างจังหวัดdtàang-jang-wàtมาmaaหางานhǎa-ngaanในเมืองnai-mʉʉang
Yesterday I met a young woman from another province who came to find work in the city.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiเขาkǎoจะพาjà-paaสาวsǎaoที่tîiคบkópอยู่yùuไปbpaiแนะนำให้nɛ́-nam-hâiพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛรู้จักrúu-jàk
Tomorrow he will take the girl he’s dating to introduce her to his parents.
ในnaiงานเลี้ยงรุ่นngaan-líiang-rûnมีmiiสาวsǎaoหลายคนlǎai-konที่tîiยังyangติดต่อกันdtìt-dtɔ̀ɔ-ganมาmaaตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛมัธยมmát-tá-yom
At the class reunion, there were several young women who had kept in touch since high school.
2AdjectiveA2
young; youthful (female)
describing a female as young or youthful
Examples
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseดูduuดูduu1[to] look; watch; see2[to] examine; check; inspect3[to] seem; appear4try; have a go5[to] divine; tell fortuneสาวsǎaoสาวsǎao1young woman; girl2young; youthful (female)3[to] reel; wind; draw inมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousวันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at present
Mom looks very youthful today
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ออกกำลังกายɔ̀ɔk-gam-lang-gaaiสม่ำเสมอsà-màm-sà-mə̌əทำให้tam-hâiผิวพรรณpǐu-panสดใสsòt-sǎiและlɛ́ดูduuสาวกsǎa-wókว่าwâaเดิมdəəm
Exercising regularly makes the skin radiant and makes one look more youthful than before
3VerbB2
[to] reel; wind; draw in
to pull in or wind up something long and flexible, such as rope, fishing line, or thread
Examples
ชาวประมงchaao bprà-mongชาวประมงchaao bprà-mongfisher; fisherman/fisherwoman; fisherfolkสาวsăaoสาวsăao1young woman; girl2young; youthful (female)3[to] reel; wind; draw inเอ็นenเอ็นen1tendon2nylon string; fishing line3ligamentเบ็ดbètเบ็ดbèt1fishhook; hook2fishing rod; poleช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateๆ-เพื่อไม่ให้pêuua mâi hâiเพื่อไม่ให้pêuua mâi hâiso that not; in order not to; to prevent [sth]ปลาbplaaปลาbplaa1fish (animal)2fish (as food)3classifier: ตัวหลุดlùtหลุดlùt1[to] come off; come loose2[to] slip out; leak3[to] escape; get free4off-target; outside the intended bounds
The fisherman reels in the fishing line slowly so the fish won’t slip off.
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เธอtəəสาวsǎaoด้ายdâaiกลับglàpเข้าkâoกระสวยgrà-sǔuaiอย่างระมัดระวังyàang-rá-mát-rá-wangเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiพันกันpan-gan
She wound the thread back onto the shuttle carefully to keep it from tangling.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaกระแสน้ำgrà-sɛ̌ɛ-náamเริ่มrə̂əmแรงrɛɛngไต๋dtǎiสั่งให้sàng-hâiลูกเรือlûuk-rʉʉaช่วยกันchûuai-ganสาวsǎaoสายsǎaiอวนuuanขึ้นkʉ̂nอย่างyàangเป็นจังหวะbpen-jang-wà
When the current picked up, the skipper ordered the crew to reel in the net line rhythmically.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ว, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
sǎao
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Rising
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 | — | — |