สำออย
sǎm-ɔɔiMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] feign weakness; [to] act overly delicate or coy
to pretend to be weak, delicate, or overly sensitive to get sympathy, attention, or special treatment.
Examples
อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiสำออยsǎm-ɔɔi1[to] feign weakness; [to] act overly delicate or coy2overly delicate or coy; whinyหน่อยnɔ̀iหน่อยnɔ̀i1a little; a bit2polite softener (request)เลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedแผลplɛ̌ɛแผลplɛ̌ɛ1wound; sore; lesion; injury (on the body)2wound (classifier: แผล)แค่นี้kɛ̂ɛ-níiแค่นี้kɛ̂ɛ-níi1this much; only this2only to this extent; just this far3that's all; that's it (to close or conclude)เองeengเองeeng1oneself; personally; by oneself2only; just; merely3exactly that/itselfไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)เจ็บjèpเจ็บjèp1sore; painful2[to] hurt; be in pain3hurt (emotionally)4injuredหรอกrɔ̀kหรอกrɔ̀k1emphatic denial (actually not; certainly not)2assurance/softener particle (explanatory tone)
Stop feigning weakness. It's just a small cut, it doesn't hurt that much.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkǎoไม่ได้mâi-dâaiป่วยbpùuaiจริงjingหรอกrɔ̀kเขาkǎoแค่kɛ̂ɛสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเรียกร้องrîiak-rɔ́ɔngความสนใจkwaam-sǒn-jaiจากjàakพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛ
He's not really sick; he's just pretending to be weak to get his parents' attention.
พอpɔɔแม่mɛ̂ɛบอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâiไปbpaiล้างจานláang-jaanลูกชายlûuk-chaaiก็gɔ̂เริ่มrə̂əmสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiว่าwâaปวดท้องbpùuat-tɔ́ɔngขึ้นมาkʉ̂n-maaทันทีtan-tii
As soon as his mom told him to wash the dishes, the son immediately started to pretend he had a stomachache.
การที่gaan-tîiเขาkǎoชอบchɔ̂ɔpสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiแกล้งglɛ̂ɛngป่วยbpùuaiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaหลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangความรับผิดชอบkwaam-ráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔpจะjàส่งผลเสียsòng-pǒn-sǐiaต่อdtɔ̀ɔหน้าที่การงานnâa-tîi-gaan-ngaanในnaiระยะยาวrá-yá-yaao
His habit of feigning illness to avoid responsibility will negatively affect his career in the long run.
2AdjectiveB2
overly delicate or coy; whiny
describing someone who acts in a pitiful, delicate, or coy way to get attention or sympathy.
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herโดนdoonโดนdoon1[to] hit; make contact with [sb/sth]2[to] get; be subjected to (passive, often negative)3[to] be hit; be struck; be affected4[to] hit the mark; be spot on (slang/colloq.)5for a long time (Isan)มีดmîitมีดmîitknifeบาดbàatบาดbàat1[to] cut; wound (by something sharp)2[to] hurt; injure; sting (figurative/physical)3sharp; biting; stinging (to the senses)นิดเดียวnít-diiaoนิดเดียวnít-diiao1just a little; only a bit; a tiny amount2a tiny bit; a very small amountเองeengเองeeng1oneself; personally; by oneself2only; just; merely3exactly that/itselfแต่dtɛ̀ɛแต่dtɛ̀ɛ1but; however (contrast)2only; just (restriction)3from; since (starting point)ทำเป็นtam-bpenทำเป็นtam-bpen1[to] know how (to do sth); be able (skill)2[to] pretend; feign; act as ifสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiสำออยsǎm-ɔɔi1[to] feign weakness; [to] act overly delicate or coy2overly delicate or coy; whinyร้องไห้rɔ́ɔng-hâiร้องไห้rɔ́ɔng-hâi[to] cry; weepเสียงดังsǐiang-dangเสียงดังsǐiang-dang1loud; noisy (high volume)2a loud noiseเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiso that; in order thatคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerสนใจsǒn-jaiสนใจsǒn-jai1[to] be interested (in) [sth/sb]2[to] pay attention to; be attentive to
She only got a small cut from the knife, but she's acting pitiful and crying loudly to get people's attention.
3 more examplesShow less
เลิกlə̂əkทำตัวtam-dtuuaสำออยsǎm-ɔɔiได้แล้วdâai-lɛ́ɛoแค่kɛ̂ɛยกyókของkɔ̌ɔngแค่นี้kɛ̂ɛ-níiไม่mâiทำให้tam-hâiแขนkɛ̌ɛnหักhàkหรอกrɔ̀k
Stop acting so delicate. Just carrying this won't break your arm.
เขาkăoมีmeeนิสัยní-săiชอบchôpสำออยsăm-oiเวลาway-laaถูกtòokตำหนิdtam-nìเรื่องงานrêuuang ngaanทำให้tam hâiหัวหน้าhŭua nâaรู้สึกrúu-sèukลำบากใจlam-bàak jaiที่จะtêe jàตักเตือนdtàk dteuuanตรงๆdtrong dtrong
He has a habit of acting pitiful when criticized about his work, which makes the boss feel awkward about giving him direct feedback.
ท่าทีtâa-teeสำออยsăm-oiของkŏngเธอterไม่ได้mâi dâaiมาจากmaa jàakความเจ็บปวดkwaam jèp bpùuatจริงjingๆ-แต่dtàeเป็นbpenกลวิธีgon wí-teeเรียกร้องrîak róngความเห็นใจkwaam hĕn jaiจากjàakคนรอบข้างkon rôp kâang
Her coy and delicate manner doesn't stem from real pain, but is a tactic to demand sympathy from those around her.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is สำออย said สัม-ออย?
sǎm-ɔɔi
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 | — | — |