หนอ
nɔ̌ɔMeaning
1ParticleC1
exclamation particle for wonder, admiration, longing, or lament; often literary; used sentence- or phrase-final
An exclamation particle placed at the end of a sentence or phrase to show wonder, admiration, longing, or lament, including rhetorical or wondering questions. It gives a soft, poetic tone and is common in literary Thai, songs, blessings, and Buddhist chants.
Examples
เมื่อไรmʉ̂ʉa-raiเมื่อไรmʉ̂ʉa-rai1when (question word)2when; whenever (time clause)เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)จะได้jà-dâaiจะได้jà-dâai1so that; in order that; that way2will be able to; get to; come to3then; so (result in instructions/explanations)พบกันpóp-ganพบกันpóp-gan[to] meet; [to] see each otherอีกìikอีกìik1more; additional2again3else; other4yet; still (in comparisons/time)หนอnɔ̌ɔหนอnɔ̌ɔexclamation particle for wonder, admiration, longing, or lament; often literary; used sentence- or phrase-final
When will we ever meet again, I wonder?
3 more examplesShow less
Oh, why must fate play such a trick on us?
How short this human life is.
ในใจnai-jaiเขาkǎoกำลังgam-langคิดkítอะไรà-raiอยู่yùuหนอnɔ̌ɔเราraoคงkongไม่มีวันmâi-mii-wanได้dâaiรู้rúu
What could he be thinking, I wonder? We'll probably never know.
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 syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
nɔ̌ɔ
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 | — | — |