เข็ญใจ
kěn-jaiMeaning
1AdjectiveC1
destitute; impoverished (literary)
Extremely poor and lacking the resources needed for basic necessities; chiefly used in literary or elevated language.
Examples
ชายchaaiชายchaai1man; male person2male sex3male; masculine4edge; brim; hem; shoreเข็ญใจkěn-jaiเข็ญใจkěn-jaidestitute; impoverished (literary)คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringนั้นnánนั้นnán1that (distal demonstrative)2that one; that thing3(topic-marking or emphatic particle)ไม่มีmâi-miiไม่มีmâi-mii1to not have; lack2there is/are not; does/do not exist3[reply] we don't have it; out of stockเงินngənเงินngən1money2silver (metal)ซื้อsʉ́ʉซื้อsʉ́ʉ1[to] buy; purchase2[to] bribe; buy offข้าวkâaoข้าวkâao1rice (cooked)2rice (grain/uncooked)3meal; food (general)4rice plant; paddyจึงjʉngจึงjʉng1therefore; so; thus2only then; then (as a result)ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forอาหารaa-hǎanอาหารaa-hǎan1food; nourishment2dish; meal3diet; what one eatsจากjàakจากjàak1from; away from2[to] leave; depart; part from3nipa palmคนในkon-naiคนในkon-naiinsider; member of a groupตลาดdtà-làatตลาดdtà-làat1market; marketplace2market (economic demand/sector)3popular; mainstream (colloq.)
That destitute man had no money to buy food, so he had to ask people at the market for something to eat.
3 more examplesShow less
ครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuaของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoต้องdtɔ̂ngอยู่yùuอย่างyàangเข็ญใจkěn-jaiหลังจากlǎng-jàakไฟไหม้fai-mâiบ้านbâanเพราะprɔ́ทั้งtángเงินเก็บngən-gèpและlɛ́เครื่องมือkrʉ̂ʉang-mʉʉทำมาหากินtam-maa-hǎa-ginสูญไปsǔun-bpaiในnaiกองเพลิงgɔɔng-pləəng
His family had to live in destitution after their house burned down, because the fire destroyed both their savings and the tools they used to earn a living.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàยากจนyâak-jonเข็ญใจkěn-jaiจนjonแทบtɛ̂ɛpไม่มีmâi-miiข้าวสารkâao-sǎanกรอกgrɔ̀ɔkหม้อmɔ̂ɔนางnaangก็gɔ̂ไม่เคยmâi-kəəiยอมyɔɔmแลกlɛ̂ɛkศักดิ์ศรีsàk-sǐiกับgàpเศษเงินsèet-ngənที่tîiผู้มีอำนาจpûu-mii-am-nâatหยิบยื่นyìp-yʉ̂ʉnให้hâi
Though so destitute that she scarcely had any rice to cook, she never traded her dignity for the pittance offered by those in power.
ท่ามกลางtâam-glaangความโอ่อ่าkwaam-òo-àaของkɔ̌ɔngเมืองหลวงmʉʉang-lǔuangยังyangมีmiiผู้pûuเข็ญใจkěn-jaiที่tîiต้องdtɔ̂ngอาศัยaa-sǎiใต้dtâaiสะพานsà-paanและlɛ́ประทังชีวิตbprà-tang-chii-wítด้วยdûuaiเศษอาหารsèet-aa-hǎan
Amid the grandeur of the capital, there are still destitute people who must live under bridges and survive on food scraps.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ญ, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
kěn
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
เข็ญkěnเข็ญkěn1hardship; misery; destitution2poor; destitute; wretchedhardship; misery; destitutionPart 1
+
ใจjaiใจjai1heart; mind; feelings; spirit2kindness; compassion; generosity3courage; spirit; morale4intention; will; willingness5core; essence (in compounds)heart; mind; feelings; spiritPart 2
เข็ญใจkěn-jaiเข็ญใจkěn-jaidestitute; impoverished (literary)destitute; impoverished (literary)Word