เต่า
dtàoMeanings
1NounA1
turtle; tortoise; terrapin
a reptile with a hard shell; includes sea turtles, freshwater terrapins, and land tortoises
Examples
ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เห็นhĕnเห็นhĕn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asเต่าdtàoเต่าdtào1turtle; tortoise; terrapin2slow person/thing (figurative)เดินdernเดินdern1[to] walk; go on foot2[to] proceed; go; move along3[to] run; operate (machine/system)4[to] run; operate; keep runningอยู่yòoอยู่yòo1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainริมสระrim sàริมสระrim sà1edge of a pool/pond2by the pool; at poolside
I saw a turtle walking by the pond.
3 more examplesShow less
Turtles have a hard shell for protection.
Yesterday we released sea turtles at the beach.
เด็กdèkๆ-เรียนรู้riian róoความแตกต่างkwaam dtàek dtàangระหว่างrá-wàangเต่าdtàoน้ำจืดnáam jèutกับgàpเต่าdtàoบกbòk
The children learned the differences between freshwater turtles and land tortoises.
2NounB2
slow person/thing (figurative)
a person or thing that moves or works very slowly (informal figurative use)
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เรียกrîiakเรียกrîiak1[to] call [sb/sth] (by name); name2[to] call out; summon; hail3[to] ask for; charge; demand4[to] draw attention; bring out a reactionคอมพิวเตอร์kɔm-piu-dtə̂əคอมพิวเตอร์kɔm-piu-dtə̂ə1computer2computer [attrib.]เครื่องkrʉ̂ʉangเครื่องkrʉ̂ʉang1machine; engine; device2appliance; electrical device3classifier: machines/devices4equipment; gear5aircraft; plane (colloq.)6assortment/set (pref.)7attire; ornaments; regaliaนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeเต่าdtàoเต่าdtào1turtle; tortoise; terrapin2slow person/thing (figurative)เพราะprɔ́เพราะprɔ́1because2because of; due to3melodious; pleasant-soundingกว่าgwàaกว่าgwàa1than (comparative marker)2more than; overมันmanมันman1it (thing/animal)2greasy; oily; fatty3fun; thrilling; highly entertaining4he/she (colloquial, impolite)5starchy tuber; tuberous crop6fat; grease7shiny; glossy8creamy; rich (texture/taste)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เปิดโปรแกรมbpə̀ət-bproo-grɛɛmเปิดโปรแกรมbpə̀ət-bproo-grɛɛm[to] open a programได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerเสียเวลาsǐia-wee-laaเสียเวลาsǐia-wee-laa1[to] waste time; be a waste of time2time‑wasting; not worth the timeไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyครึ่งวันkrʉ̂ng-wanครึ่งวันkrʉ̂ng-wan1half-day (time period)2half-day (lasting for half a day)
I call this computer a turtle because it takes half a day just to open a program.
3 more examplesShow less
ตอนdtɔɔnทำtamโครงการkroong-gaanเขาkǎoเป็นbpenเต่าdtàoของkɔ̌ɔngทีมtiimช้าcháaจนjonกระทบgrà-tópกำหนดส่งgam-nòt-sòngหลายlǎaiครั้งkráng
When doing the project, he was the team's turtle, so slow that it affected several deadlines.
ถ้าtâaยังyangทำงานtam-ngaanแบบbɛ̀ɛpเต่าdtàoอยู่yùuแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiเราraoคงkongพลาดplâatโอกาสoo-gàatที่tîiต้องdtɔ̂ngตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jaiอย่างทันท่วงทีyàang-tan-tûuang-tii
If we keep working at a turtle's pace like this, we'll miss opportunities that require timely decisions.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanเตือนdtʉʉanว่าwâaเลิกlə̂əkเป็นbpenเต่าdtàoสักทีsàk-tiiเพราะprɔ́ความล่าช้าkwaam-lâa-cháaของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoเริ่มrə̂əmดึงdʉngประสิทธิภาพbprà-sìt-tí-pâapทีมtiimลงlongอย่างเห็นได้ชัดyàang-hěn-dâai-chát
The manager warned us to stop being turtles, because our slowness is clearly dragging the team's performance down.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
dtào
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + Mai ek → 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 | — | — |