เค็ม
kemMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
salty
tasting of salt; having a high amount of salt
Examples
3 more examplesShow less
This dish of salted fish tastes extremely salty.
He said today’s tom yum is a bit too salty.
If you add a bit more fish sauce, the food will become even saltier.
2AdjectiveB1
stingy (informal)
unwilling to spend money; tightfisted (figurative, colloquial)
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเค็มkemเค็มkem1salty2stingy (informal)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousชอบchɔ̂ɔpชอบchɔ̂ɔp1[to] like; be fond of2tend to; usually3be proper; be fitting (formal)เก็บเงินgèp-ngənเก็บเงินgèp-ngən1[to] save money; put money aside2[to] collect payment; charge [sb]ไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂i1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree)เลี้ยงlíiangเลี้ยงlíiang1[to] raise; bring up2[to] keep (as a pet); rear3[to] feed4[to] support; maintain5[to] host; treatเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellow
He's very stingy; he likes to keep his money and rarely treats friends.
3 more examplesShow less
พี่ชายpîi-chaaiฉันchǎnเค็มkemจนjonไม่mâiยอมyɔɔmจ่ายjàaiค่าส่งkâa-sòngแม้mɛ́ɛจะjàสั่งของsàng-kɔ̌ɔngราคาแพงraa-kaa-pɛɛng
My older brother is so tightfisted that he won't pay for shipping even when ordering expensive items.
เจ้านายjâo-naaiดูduuเค็มkemเวลาwee-laaไปกินข้าวbpai-gin-kâaoกับgàpทีมtiimมักmákให้hâiทุกคนtúk-konหารกันhǎan-ganตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔt
The boss seems stingy; when we eat with the team, he always makes everyone split the bill.
เขาkǎoขึ้นชื่อkʉ̂n-chʉ̂ʉว่าwâaเค็มkemขนาดkà-nàatมีmiiโปรโมชันbproo-moo-chânยังyangรอrɔɔให้hâiถูกกว่าtùuk-gwàaนี้níiก่อนgɔ̀ɔnค่อยkɔ̂iซื้อsʉ́ʉ
He's known for being tightfisted; even with a promotion he waits for it to be cheaper before buying.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ม, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
kem
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |