เจ้าที่เจ้าทาง

jâo têe jâo taang

Meanings

1NounC1

local guardian spirits

Guardian spirits of a specific place (land, pathways) believed to protect the area and receive offerings.

Examples

ก่อนจะgòn jàก่อนจะgòn jàbefore; just before (introducing an earlier action)สร้างsâangสร้างsâang1[to] build; construct2[to] create; produce3[to] establish; found4[to] generate; developบ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: houses/buildings (residences)คนไทยkon taiคนไทยkon taiThai person; Thai people; Thai nationalมักจะmák jàมักจะmák jà1often; usually (habit/frequency)2tend to; be apt/prone to (general tendency)ทำพิธีtam pí-teeทำพิธีtam pí-tee[to] conduct a ceremony; perform a ritualบอกกล่าวbòk glàaoบอกกล่าวbòk glàao1[to] inform; notify; tell2[to] announce; make knownเจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taangเจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taang1local guardian spirits2local gatekeepers/insiders (figurative)ก่อนgònก่อนgòn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; former
Before building a house, Thai people often perform a ceremony to inform the guardian spirits of the land.
2NounC1

local gatekeepers/insiders (figurative)

Figurative: established local powers or insiders one should acknowledge or win over in a place or organization.

Examples

ถ้าtâaถ้าtâa1if; in case2if only; provided that (conditional emphasis)อยากyàakอยากyàak1[to] want; desire2to crave; to long forมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2come to (result/state)3past/as of now aspect markerทำธุรกิจtam tú-rá-gìtทำธุรกิจtam tú-rá-gìt[to] do business; run/operate a business; engage in commerceที่นี่têe nêeที่นี่têe nêe1here; at this place2this place; the current locationให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] have [sb] do; cause to3for (benefit of)4so that; in order to5until; to the point that (result)6[to] allow; let; permitราบรื่นrâap-rêunราบรื่นrâap-rêun1smooth; without problems2harmoniousก็gâwก็gâw1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3even; after all (emphasis/justification)4conditional marker (if… then…)5topic/resumption markerต้องdtôngต้องdtông1must; have to2should; likely to; bound to3correct; rightไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3(aspect) continuation into the future4gone; past (serial verb use)คุยkuiคุยkui1[to] discuss; talk over2[to] date [sb]; be seeing [sb] (informal)3[to] brag; boast4[to] chat; talkกับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3against; versus4to; toward (recipient/target)5side dish; accompaniment6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taangเจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taang1local guardian spirits2local gatekeepers/insiders (figurative)แถวนี้tăeo néeแถวนี้tăeo née1around here; nearby2this area; this neighborhood3approximately; around this time/amountก่อนนะgòn náก่อนนะgòn náfirst (polite); used on leaving ('I'll go first')
If you want your business here to run smoothly, you have to go talk to the local 'insiders' first.

Word Breakdown

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เจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taangเจ้าที่เจ้าทางjâo têe jâo taanglocal guardian spirits