เข้ม
kêmMeanings
1AdjectiveA2
strong; intense (taste/smell)
having a concentrated or powerful taste or smell; not weak
Examples
กาแฟgaa-fɛɛกาแฟgaa-fɛɛcoffee (drink; beans; plant)ถ้วยtûuaiถ้วยtûuai1cup; small bowl2classifier: cups; small bowls; trophy cups3trophy (cup)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เข้มkêmเข้มkêm1strong; intense (taste/smell)2deep; rich (color)3strong (coffee/tea/medicine)4strict; rigorous5serious; stern (manner/face)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)นมnomนมnom1milk2breast; boob (informal)เพิ่มpə̂əmเพิ่มpə̂əm1[to] increase; add2additional; more3more; extra
This cup of coffee is very strong; I need to add more milk.
3 more examplesShow less
The soup broth today is stronger than usual; I like this taste.
This brand of fish sauce is so strong that you only need a little.
กลิ่นทุเรียนglìn-tú-riianค่อนข้างkɔ̂n-kâangเข้มkêmถ้าtâaเปิดbpə̀ətในnaiห้องhɔ̂ngคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉnอาจàatรำคาญram-kaan
The smell of durian is quite strong; if you open it in a room, others might be annoyed.
2AdjectiveA2
deep; rich (color)
dark or saturated in color; not pale or light
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillชอบchɔ̂ɔpชอบchɔ̂ɔp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)เสื้อsʉ̂ʉaเสื้อsʉ̂ʉa1shirt; top2jacket; coat3classifier: ตัวสีเข้มsǐi-kêmสีเข้มsǐi-kêmdark; deep; saturated (of color)มากกว่าmâak-gwàaมากกว่าmâak-gwàa1more; to a greater degree2more than; over (with numbers/amounts)3[to] exceed; be greater thanสีsǐiสีsǐi1color2paint3[to] rub; scrub; polishอ่อนɔ̀ɔnอ่อนɔ̀ɔn1soft; tender2weak; feeble3mild; light (intensity/taste)4young; immature5inexperienced; unseasoned6gentle; lenient7[to] weaken; soften; depreciate
He likes dark-colored shirts more than light ones.
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The sky looked darker before it rained.
The painter said this color is too dark for a small room.
เธอtəəเลือกlʉ̂ʉakลิปสติกlíp-sà-dtìkสีเข้มsǐi-kêmเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiตัดกับdtàt-gàpผิวpǐuที่tîiค่อนข้างkɔ̂n-kâangซีดsîitของตัวเองkɔ̌ɔng-dtuua-eeng
She chose a dark lipstick to contrast with her rather pale skin.
3AdjectiveA2
strong (coffee/tea/medicine)
highly concentrated or potent in preparation
Examples
ยาyaaยาyaa1medicine; medication2drug (narcotic/illicit)3chemical/agent4[to] caulk; sealนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เข้มkêmเข้มkêm1strong; intense (taste/smell)2deep; rich (color)3strong (coffee/tea/medicine)4strict; rigorous5serious; stern (manner/face)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderแค่kɛ̂ɛแค่kɛ̂ɛ1only; just2up to; as far as; only as much asหนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostหยดyòtหยดyòt1drop (of liquid)2[to] drip; [to] drop; [to] trickle3classifier: drops of liquidพอpɔɔพอpɔɔ1enough; sufficient2enough; sufficiently3[to] suffice; be enough4quite; rather; fairly5as soon as; when
This medicine is very concentrated; just one drop is enough.
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หมอmɔ̌ɔบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaควรkuuanผสมpà-sǒmน้ำnáamเพราะprɔ́น้ำยาฆ่าเชื้อnáam-yaa-kâa-chʉ́ʉaมันmanเข้มkêmเกินไปgəən-bpai
The doctor said to dilute it because the disinfectant is too concentrated.
พอpɔɔผสมpà-sǒmผงซักฟอกpǒng-sák-fɔ̂ɔkให้hâiเข้มข้นkêm-kônเกินไปgəən-bpaiเสื้อผ้าsʉ̂ʉa-pâaก็gɔ̂ทำให้tam-hâiผิวpǐuระคายเคืองrá-kaai-kʉʉang
Since I mixed the detergent too strong, the clothes irritated the skin.
สารละลายsǎan-lá-laaiตัวdtuuaนี้níiเข้มkêmกว่าgwàaมาตรฐานmâat-dtrà-tǎanจึงjʉngต้องdtɔ̂ngเจือจางjʉʉa-jaangก่อนgɔ̀ɔnนำไปใช้nam-bpai-cháiในnaiห้องปฏิบัติการhɔ̂ng-bpà-dtì-bàt-gaan
This solution is more concentrated than the standard, so it must be diluted before use in the laboratory.
4AdjectiveB1
strict; rigorous
enforcing rules firmly; showing little leniency
Examples
ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)เข้มkêmเข้มkêm1strong; intense (taste/smell)2deep; rich (color)3strong (coffee/tea/medicine)4strict; rigorous5serious; stern (manner/face)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)กฎgòtกฎgòt1rule; regulation2law (scientific/natural); principleเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangเรื่องrʉ̂ʉang1matter; issue; subject2story; tale3classifier for stories/films/cases4about; regarding (as a topic marker)การส่งgaan-sòngการส่งgaan-sòng1sending; dispatch2delivery; shipping3submission; filing4pass (sports)5transmission; broadcasting (signals/data)การบ้านgaan-bâanการบ้านgaan-bâan1homework; school assignment2housework (colloq.)
The teacher is strict about the homework rules.
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ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanเข้มkêmมากmâakใครkraiมาmaaสายsǎaiต้องdtɔ̂ngอธิบายà-tí-baaiเหตุผลhèet-pǒnชัดเจนchát-jeen
The manager is very strict; anyone late must give a clear explanation.
ค่ายkâaiนี้níiมีmiiกฎระเบียบgòt-rá-bìiapเข้มkêmจึงjʉngต้องdtɔ̂ngทำตามtam-dtaamตารางdtaa-raangอย่างเคร่งครัดyàang-krêeng-krát
This camp enforces strict rules, so we must follow the schedule rigidly.
มหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiประกาศbprà-gàatมาตรการmâat-dtrà-gaanเข้มkêmไม่mâiยกเว้นyók-wénโทษtôotการลอกgaan-lɔ̂ɔkข้อสอบkɔ̂ɔ-sɔ̀ɔp
The university announced strict measures, granting no leniency for cheating.
5AdjectiveB1
serious; stern (manner/face)
having a firm, serious, or severe expression or attitude
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)ดูหน้าduu-nâaดูหน้าduu-nâa1[to] look at [sb's] face2[to] show consideration for [sb]เข้มkêmเข้มkêm1strong; intense (taste/smell)2deep; rich (color)3strong (coffee/tea/medicine)4strict; rigorous5serious; stern (manner/face)เหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughกำลังgam-langกำลังgam-lang1currently; in the middle of2power; strength3power (physics)4troops; forcesจริงจังjing-jangจริงจังjing-jang1serious; earnest2seriously; earnestlyมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
Today the teacher looks stern, as if very serious.
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เธอtəəพูดด้วยpûut-dûuaiน้ำเสียงnáam-sǐiangเข้มkêmทำให้tam-hâiทุกคนtúk-konเงียบngîiapลงlongทันทีtan-tii
She spoke in a firm tone, making everyone quiet down immediately.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanทำหน้าtam-nâaเข้มkêmเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaเห็นhěnงานngaanยังyangไม่mâiเสร็จตามกำหนดsèt-dtaam-gam-nòt
The manager wore a severe expression when he saw the work wasn’t finished on schedule.
เขาkǎoมองmɔɔngผมpǒmด้วยdûuaiแววตาwɛɛo-dtaaเข้มkêmราวกับraao-gàpกำลังgam-langเตือนdtʉʉanให้hâiรับผิดชอบráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔpมากกว่านี้mâak-gwàa-níi
He looked at me with a stern gaze, as if warning me to take more responsibility.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Falling tone
kêm
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
High class + Mai tho → Falling
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 | — | — |