เนียน
niianMeanings
1AdjectiveA2
smooth; silky (texture/skin)
Having a smooth, even, or silky texture, often used for skin, fabric, or surfaces.
Examples
ผิวpǐuผิวpǐu1skin2surface3complexion; skin toneของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsเธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herเนียนniianเนียนniian1smooth; silky (texture/skin)2natural-looking; seamless (well-blended)3slick; subtle (done cleverly without drawing attention)4smoothly; seamlessly; unobtrusivelyมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
Her skin is very smooth.
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I apply lotion every day to make my skin smoother.
This scarf feels smooth and silky to the touch.
โต๊ะdtóที่tîiขัดkàtใหม่màiพื้นผิวpʉ́ʉn-pǐuเนียนniianเสมอกันsà-mə̌ə-ganไม่มีmâi-miiเสี้ยนsîianให้hâiระคายrá-kaaiมือmʉʉ
The newly polished table has an evenly smooth surface with no splinters to irritate the hand.
2AdjectiveB1
natural-looking; seamless (well-blended)
Looking natural or well-blended so that edits, makeup, or alterations are not noticeable.
Examples
เธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herแต่งหน้าdtɛ̀ng-nâaแต่งหน้าdtɛ̀ng-nâa1[to] put on makeup; do someone's makeup2[to] decorate the top (of a cake/dessert)เนียนniianเนียนniian1smooth; silky (texture/skin)2natural-looking; seamless (well-blended)3slick; subtle (done cleverly without drawing attention)4smoothly; seamlessly; unobtrusivelyมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofดูเหมือนduu-mʉ̌ʉanดูเหมือนduu-mʉ̌ʉan1[to] seem; appear; look2apparently; seeminglyไม่ได้mâi-dâaiไม่ได้mâi-dâai1cannot; not allowed; impossible2did not3[to] fail to get/receive [sth]4unacceptable; not allowed (won’t do)5No way!; absolutely not6not really/actually (corrective)แต่งdtɛ̀ngแต่งdtɛ̀ng1[to] dress; get dressed2[to] marry (colloquial)3[to] decorate; adorn4[to] compose; write5[to] modify; tune; customize6[to] arrange; set; style
Her makeup looks so natural that it seems like she isn’t wearing any.
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The color-corrected photo looks well-blended; you can’t see any seams.
วิกwíkผมpǒmที่tîiเขาkǎoใส่sàiเนียนniianกับgàpเส้นผมsên-pǒmจริงjingจนjonแทบtɛ̂ɛpแยกไม่ออกyɛ̂ɛk-mâi-ɔ̀ɔk
The wig he wore blended so naturally with his real hair that it was almost indistinguishable.
งานngaanรีreeทัชครั้งtát krángนี้néeเนียนniianกลมกลืนglom gleuunกับgàpพื้นหลังpéuun-lăngมากmâakจนjonผู้ชมpôo chomทั่วไปtûua bpaiจับjàpไม่ได้mâi dâai
This retouching blends so naturally with the background that general viewers can’t detect it.
3AdjectiveB2
slick; subtle (done cleverly without drawing attention)
Done cleverly, subtly, or in a way that avoids detection; can imply slyness.
Examples
เขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillทำเป็นtam bpenทำเป็นtam bpen1[to] know how (to do sth); be able (skill)2[to] pretend; feign; act as ifถามtăamถามtăam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateเรื่องงานrêuuang ngaanเรื่องงานrêuuang ngaanwork matters; businessแบบbàepแบบbàep1style; type; kind; manner2classifier for types, styles, or designs3model; pattern; design; template4form; questionnaire5model; person posing6in a ... way; -ly (pre-head adverbial marker)เนียนniianเนียนniian1smooth; silky (texture/skin)2natural-looking; seamless (well-blended)3slick; subtle (done cleverly without drawing attention)4smoothly; seamlessly; unobtrusivelyๆ-เพื่อpêuuaเพื่อpêuua1for; in order to2for the sake of; on behalf ofสอดแนมsòt naemสอดแนมsòt naem1[to] spy on; snoop on; surveil2spying; surveillanceข้อมูลkôr moonข้อมูลkôr moon1information; data (non-count)2data (computing)ของkŏngของkŏng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsคู่แข่งkôo kàengคู่แข่งkôo kàengcompetitor; rival
He casually asked about work in a subtle way to snoop on the competitor's information.
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เธอterอ้างว่าâang wâaบังเอิญbang ernเจอjerเราraoแต่dtàeจริงjingๆ-นัดnátไว้wáiแล้วláeoเนียนniianมากmâak
She claimed to have met us by chance, but actually it was arranged—very sly.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanชมchomว่าwâaเขาkǎoแทรกsɛ̂ɛkประเด็นสำคัญbprà-den-sǎm-kanเข้าไปในkâo-bpai-naiการประชุมgaan-bprà-chumได้dâaiอย่างyàangเนียนniianจนjonไม่มีmâi-miiใครkraiรู้ตัวrúu-dtuua
The manager praised him for inserting key points into the meeting so subtly that no one noticed.
แผนpɛ̌ɛnการเจรจาgaan-jee-rá-jaaของkɔ̌ɔngทีมเราtiim-raoค่อนข้างkɔ̂n-kâangเนียนniianใช้cháiคำถามkam-tǎamนำทางnam-taangเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiคู่ค้าkûu-káaเผยpə̌əiข้อมูลkɔ̂ɔ-muunโดยdooiไม่mâiตั้งdtângข้อkɔ̂ɔระแวงrá-wɛɛng
Our team’s negotiation plan was quite subtle, using leading questions to get the partner to reveal information without suspicion.
4Adverb
smoothly; seamlessly; unobtrusively
(figurative) In a skillful, natural-looking way that avoids notice or detection, often when concealing [sth] or deceiving [sb].
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillโกหกgoo-hòkโกหกgoo-hòk1[to] lie; tell a lie2lie; falsehood (uncommon as a noun)ได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerเนียนniianเนียนniian1smooth; silky (texture/skin)2natural-looking; seamless (well-blended)3slick; subtle (done cleverly without drawing attention)4smoothly; seamlessly; unobtrusivelyมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เชื่อchʉ̂ʉaเชื่อchʉ̂ʉa1to believe [sth/sb]2to trust; have faith in3to believe in (religion/ideology)4[to] heed; obey [sb]5on creditเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceed
He lied so convincingly that I believed him.
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เธอtəəแกล้งทำเป็นglɛ̂ɛng-tam-bpenไม่รู้เรื่องmâi-rúu-rʉ̂ʉangได้dâaiเนียนniianจนjonไม่มีmâi-miiใครkraiสงสัยsǒng-sǎi
She acted as though she knew nothing about it so convincingly that no one suspected a thing.
เขาkǎoมาmaaสายsǎaiแต่dtɛ̀ɛเดินเข้าdəən-kâoห้องประชุมhɔ̂ng-bprà-chumเนียนniianเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเพิ่งpə̂ngออกไปɔ̀ɔk-bpaiเข้าห้องน้ำkâo-hɔ̂ng-náam
He arrived late but slipped into the meeting room as if he had only stepped out to use the bathroom.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàรู้rúuคำตอบkam-dtɔ̀ɔpอยู่แล้วyùu-lɛ́ɛoเธอtəəก็gɔ̂แกล้งglɛ̂ɛngถามtǎamได้dâaiเนียนniianจนjonทุกคนtúk-konเข้าใจว่าkâo-jai-wâaเธอtəəเพิ่งpə̂ngได้ยินdâi-yinเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangนี้níiเป็นbpenครั้งแรกkráng-rɛ̂ɛk
Although she already knew the answer, she made her question sound so genuine that everyone thought she was hearing about it for the first time.
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 -น, a sonorant, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
niian
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 | — | — |