อุปมา
ù-bpà-maaMeanings
1NounB2
simile (figure of speech)
a figure of speech that compares one thing with another explicitly to make meaning clear (often with words like like, as, similar to)
Examples
ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)ใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderอุปมาù-bpà-maaอุปมาù-bpà-maa1simile (figure of speech)2[to] compare by simile; illustrateเปรียบbprìiapเปรียบbprìiap1[to] compare2[to] liken; use as a simileการเรียนgaan-riianการเรียนgaan-riian1studying; learning2schooling; education (as a course of study)เหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughการgaanการgaan1nominalizer2work; business; task3affair; matterวิ่งมาราธอนwîng-maa-raa-tɔɔnวิ่งมาราธอนwîng-maa-raa-tɔɔn1[to] run a marathon2marathon runningเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiso that; in order thatเด็กdèkเด็กdèk1child; kid2young; not yet grown up3young person (informal)เข้าใจว่าkâo-jai-wâaเข้าใจว่าkâo-jai-wâa[to] believe/understand that [clause]ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toค่อยเป็นค่อยไปkɔ̂i-bpen-kɔ̂i-bpaiค่อยเป็นค่อยไปkɔ̂i-bpen-kɔ̂i-bpai1gradual; steady2gradually; step by step
The teacher used a simile, comparing learning to a marathon, to help students understand it requires gradual effort.
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เขาkǎoยกyókอุปมาù-bpà-maaว่าwâaชีวิตchii-wítเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเรือนrʉʉanในnaiพายุpaa-yúเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaอธิบายà-tí-baaiช่วงเวลาchûuang-wee-laaที่tîiลำบากlam-bàak
He offered the simile that life is like a ship in a storm to explain difficult times.
บทกวีbòt-gà-wiiนี้níiใช้cháiอุปมาù-bpà-maaชัดเจนchát-jeenเช่นchênใจjaiฉันchǎnเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanนกnókในnaiกรงgrongเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสื่อsʉ̀ʉความรู้สึกkwaam-rúu-sʉ̀kถูกtùukกักขังgàk-kǎng
This poem uses explicit similes, such as “my heart is like a caged bird,” to convey a feeling of confinement.
นักพูดnák-pûutใช้cháiอุปมาù-bpà-maaเปรียบbprìiapความหวังkwaam-wǎngราวกับraao-gàpแสงsɛ̌ɛngบนbonขอบฟ้าkɔ̀ɔp-fáaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaกระตุ้นgrà-dtûnให้hâiผู้ฟังpûu-fangไม่mâiยอมแพ้yɔɔm-pɛ́ɛ
The speaker used a simile, likening hope to light on the horizon, to encourage the audience not to give up.
2VerbB2
[to] compare by simile; illustrate
to make an explicit comparison or give an illustrative simile to explain or emphasize a point
Examples
ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)อุปมาù-bpà-maaอุปมาù-bpà-maa1simile (figure of speech)2[to] compare by simile; illustrateให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)เห็นภาพhěn-pâapเห็นภาพhěn-pâap1[to] see a picture/image2[to] understand [sth] clearly; get the picture3[to] visualize [sth]ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeความรู้kwaam-rúuความรู้kwaam-rúuknowledge; learning; understandingเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughแสงไฟsɛ̌ɛng-faiแสงไฟsɛ̌ɛng-failight; lamplight; firelightที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerส่องทางsɔ̀ɔng-taangส่องทางsɔ̀ɔng-taang1[to] light the way; illuminate the path2for lighting the way (modifier)3[to] show the way; guide (fig.)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ความมืดkwaam-mʉ̂ʉtความมืดkwaam-mʉ̂ʉt1darkness2figurative darkness
The teacher made a simile, saying knowledge is like a light that guides the way in darkness.
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เขาkǎoอุปมาù-bpà-maaโครงการkroong-gaanนี้níiเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanต้นไม้dtôn-máaiที่tîiต้องdtɔ̂ngรดน้ำrót-náamสม่ำเสมอsà-màm-sà-mə̌əจึงjʉngจะjàเติบโตdtə̀əp-dtoo
He compared the project to a tree that must be watered regularly to grow.
วิทยากรwít-tá-yaa-gɔɔnอุปมาù-bpà-maaความล้มเหลวkwaam-lóm-lěeoเสมือนsà-mʉ̌ʉanครูkruuที่tîiคอยkɔɔiสอนsɔ̌ɔnให้เราhâi-raoปรับปรุงbpràp-bprungตนเองdton-eeng
The speaker likened failure to a teacher that teaches us to improve ourselves.
เพื่อpêuuaเน้นย้ำnén yámเรื่องrêuuangวินัยwí-naiเขาkăoอุปมาùp-bpà-maaความสม่ำเสมอkwaam sà-màm sà-mĕrเปรียบbprìiapได้dâiกับgàpการวางgaan waangอิฐìtทีละtee láก้อนgônสร้างsâangกำแพงgam-paengที่มั่นคงtêe mân kong
To emphasize discipline, he made a comparison: consistency is like laying bricks one by one to build a sturdy wall.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is อุปมา said อุ-ปะ-มา?
ù-bpà-maa
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
3 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
ù
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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 | — | — |