สำคัญ
sǎm-kanMeanings
1AdjectiveA2
important; significant; essential
having great value, influence, or effect; deserving special attention; essential
Examples
น้ำnáamน้ำnáam1water2liquid; fluid3juice; extract4sauce; broth5bodily fluid (in compounds)6served with broth7empty words; fillerเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)สิ่งสำคัญsìng-sǎm-kanสิ่งสำคัญsìng-sǎm-kanimportant thing; key factorต่อชีวิตdtɔ̀ɔ-chii-wítต่อชีวิตdtɔ̀ɔ-chii-wít[to] prolong [sb]'s life; [to] keep [sb] alive
Water is essential to life.
3 more examplesShow less
Getting enough sleep is important for health.
การฟังgaan-fangความเห็นkwaam-hěnต่างdtàangก็gɔ̂สำคัญsǎm-kanไม่แพ้mâi-pɛ́ɛการแสดงความคิดเห็นgaan-sà-dɛɛng-kwaam-kít-hěnของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoเองeeng
Listening to different opinions is just as important as expressing our own.
บทเรียนbòt-riianนี้níiสำคัญsǎm-kanมากmâakเพราะprɔ́เป็นbpenพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎanสำหรับsǎm-ràpหัวข้อhǔua-kɔ̂ɔถัดไปtàt-bpai
This lesson is very important because it is the foundation for the next topics.
2VerbB2
[to] think; assume; suppose (often mistakenly)
to believe or suppose something is true, often when it turns out to be wrong or uncertain
Examples
ตอนแรกdton râekตอนแรกdton râek1at first; initially; originally2the first part; the beginningฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)สำคัญsăm-kanสำคัญsăm-kan1important; significant; essential2[to] think; assume; suppose (often mistakenly)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillโกรธgròhtโกรธgròht1angry; mad2[to] be angry (at/with/about)แต่จริงๆdtàe jing jingแต่จริงๆdtàe jing jingbut actually; but in reality; in factเขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillแค่kâeแค่kâe1only; just2up to; as far as; only as much asเงียบngîiapเงียบngîiap1quiet; silent2quiet (place/time)3[to] be quiet; fall silent4[to] go silent; stop responding
At first I supposed he was angry, but actually he was just quiet.
3 more examplesShow less
เธอtəəสําคัญsǎm-kanว่าwâaรถไฟrót-faiจะjàถึงtʉ̌ngตรงเวลาdtrong-wee-laaเลยləəiไม่ได้mâi-dâaiเผื่อpʉ̀ʉaเวลาwee-laaเพิ่มpə̂əm
She assumed the train would arrive on time, so she didn’t allow extra time.
เขาkǎoสำคัญsǎm-kanผิดpìtว่าwâaข่าวkàaoนั้นnánเป็นbpenความจริงkwaam-jingทั้งที่táng-tîiยังyangไม่มีmâi-miiหลักฐานlàk-tǎanยืนยันyʉʉn-yan
He wrongly supposed that news to be true even though there was no confirmation.
หลายคนlǎai-konสำคัญsǎm-kanเอาaoเองeengว่าwâaความเงียบkwaam-ngîiapนั้นnánแปลว่าbplɛɛ-wâaการเห็นgaan-hěnด้วยdûuaiซึ่งsʉ̂ngอาจàatไม่ใช่mâi-châiเสมอไปsà-mə̌ə-bpai
Many people assume that silence means agreement, which may not always be the case.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is สำคัญ said สัม-คัญ?
sǎm-kan
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 endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
sǎm
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 | — | — |