อาย

aai

Meanings

1AdjectiveA2

shy; embarrassed

feeling shy, bashful, or embarrassed; self-conscious due to modesty or social discomfort

Examples

เขาอายkăo aaiเวลาway-laaเวลาway-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesโดนdohnโดนdohn1[to] get; be subjected to (passive, often negative)2[to] be hit; be struck; be affected3[to] hit the mark; be spot on (slang/colloq.)ชมchomชมchom1[to] praise; compliment2[to] admire; take in (a view)3[to] watch; view (a show/broadcast)4[to] visit and view; tourต่อหน้าdtò nâaต่อหน้าdtò nâa1in front of; to someone's face2before; in the presence ofคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: peopleเยอะๆyér-yérเยอะๆyér-yér1a lot; in large amounts (colloquial, emphatic)2many; numerous (colloquial, emphatic)
He feels shy when praised in front of many people.
3 more examples
เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanฉันchǎnอายaaiมากmâakตอนdtɔɔnพูดผิดpûut-pìtกลางglaangห้องเรียนhɔ̂ng-riian
Yesterday I was very embarrassed when I misspoke in the classroom.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiต้องdtɔ̂ngเจอjəəผู้ใหญ่pûu-yàiหลายคนlǎai-konฉันchǎnเลยləəiอายaaiและlɛ́กังวลgang-wonว่าwâaจะjàวางตัวwaang-dtuuaไม่mâiถูกtùuk
Tomorrow I have to meet many elders, so I feel shy and worry that I’ll behave awkwardly.
เธอterยิ้มyímเขินkŏenๆ-แล้วláeoบอกว่าbòk wâaอายaaiเพราะpráwไม่mâiชินchinกับgàpการเป็นgaan bpenจุดสนใจjùt sŏn-jai
She smiled bashfully and said she was shy because she wasn’t used to being the center of attention.
2VerbA2

[to] be shy; feel embarrassed

to feel shy or embarrassed; to be too bashful to do something

Examples

ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)อายaaiอายaai1shy; embarrassed2[to] be shy; feel embarrassed3[to] be ashamed (of)เลยloieเลยloie1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)กล้าglâaกล้าglâa1brave; courageous2to dare3seedling; young plant4bravely; boldlyพูดpôotพูดpôot1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutต่อหน้าdtò nâaต่อหน้าdtò nâa1in front of; to someone's face2before; in the presence ofคนเยอะkon yéhคนเยอะkon yéhcrowded; many peopleๆ-
I’m shy, so I don’t dare speak in front of many people.
3 more examples
เมื่อวานmêuua waanเขาอายkăo aaiจนjonไม่mâiยอมyomขึ้นไปkêun bpaiร้องเพลงróng playngบนbonเวทีway-tee
Yesterday he was too shy to go up and sing on stage.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiมีmiiประชุมbprà-chumฉันchǎnยังyangอายaaiอยู่yùuเลยləəiอยากyàakซ้อมsɔ́ɔmพูดpûutก่อนgɔ̀ɔn
There’s a meeting tomorrow; I’m still shy, so I want to practice speaking first.
เธอtəəอายaaiที่จะtîi-jàขอkɔ̌ɔความช่วยเหลือkwaam-chûuai-lʉ̌ʉaทั้งที่táng-tîiทุกคนtúk-konพร้อมprɔ́ɔmจะjàช่วยchûuaiอยู่แล้วyùu-lɛ́ɛo
She is too shy to ask for help, even though everyone is ready to help.
3VerbA2

[to] be ashamed (of)

to feel shame about oneself, something one has done, or someone or something associated with oneself

Examples

เขาอายkăo aaiที่จะtêe jàที่จะtêe jà1that/which/who will; that is/are going to2to (after a noun/adj; infinitival 'to')ขอkŏrขอkŏr1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forความช่วยเหลือkwaam chûuai lĕuuaความช่วยเหลือkwaam chûuai lĕuuahelp; assistance; aidจากjàakจากjàak1from; away from2[to] leave; depart; part from3nipa palmเพื่อนpêuuanเพื่อนpêuuan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellow
He is too embarrassed to ask his friends for help.
3 more examples
เธอtəəอายaaiแม่mɛ̂ɛเพราะprɔ́ผลสอบpǒn-sɔ̀ɔpไม่ดีmâi-diiเลยləəiไม่mâiกล้าglâaกลับบ้านglàp-bâan
She felt ashamed before her mother because her exam results were bad, so she didn’t dare go home.
ผมpŏmอายaaiที่จะtêe jàร้องเพลงróng playngต่อหน้าdtò nâaคนเยอะkon yéhๆ-กลัวgluuaร้องróngเพี้ยนpían
I’m too embarrassed to sing in front of many people, afraid I’ll sing off-key.
เขาอายkăo aaiที่têeเคยkoeiพูดpôotโอ้อวดôo ùuatไว้wáiจึงjeungออกมาòk maaขอโทษkŏr tôhtต่อหน้าdtò nâaทุกคนtúk kon
He felt ashamed of having bragged, so he came out and apologized in front of everyone.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classMid class
  2. Tone markNo tone mark
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ย, a sonorant, so it is live.

Mid class consonants

กจฎฏดตบปอ

Result

Mid tone

aai

Level, in your normal speaking voice.

Mid class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid

Tone chart

Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.

Mid classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

Related Words

Similar Meaning

เขินอายkə̌ən-aaiเขินอายkə̌ən-aai1[to] feel shy; [to] be bashful2shy; bashful
  • [to] feel shy; [to] be bashful
  • shy; bashful
ละอายlá-aaiละอายlá-aai1[to] feel ashamed; be embarrassed2ashamed; embarrassed (feeling only)
  • [to] feel ashamed; be embarrassed
  • ashamed; embarrassed (feeling only)
เขินkə̌ənเขินkə̌ən1shy; embarrassed2[to] feel shy/embarrassed
  • shy; embarrassed
  • [to] feel shy/embarrassed
กระดากอายgrà-dàak-aaiกระดากอายgrà-dàak-aai[to] feel embarrassed; [to] feel ashamed

[to] feel embarrassed; [to] feel ashamed

ขวยเขินkǔuai-kə̌ənขวยเขินkǔuai-kə̌ən1shy; bashful; self-conscious2[to] feel shy; feel embarrassed
  • shy; bashful; self-conscious
  • [to] feel shy; feel embarrassed