เบา
baoMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
light (not heavy)
Not heavy; having little weight.
Examples
กระเป๋าgrà-bpǎoกระเป๋าgrà-bpǎo1bag; handbag; purse2pocket3wallet4classifier: ใบใบbaiใบbai1leaf2sheet; slip; card; ticket; bill; receipt3classifier for leaves, paper items, containers, and certain other objects4license; permit; certificate5bladeนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easeฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ถือtʉ̌ʉถือtʉ̌ʉ1[to] hold; carry (by hand)2[to] regard; consider; deem3[to] observe; keep (rules, precepts, fast)4[to] be strict/particular aboutได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerสบายsà-baaiสบายsà-baai1comfortable; at ease2well; fine (health/state)3[to] be comfortable; feel at ease4easy; effortless
This bag is light; I can carry it easily.
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This pair of shoes is quite light and good for running.
ฉันchǎnชอบchɔ̂ɔpโน้ตบุ๊กnóot-búkที่tîiเบาbaoเพราะprɔ́พกpókไปทำงานbpai-tam-ngaanได้dâaiทั้งวันtáng-wan
I like laptops that are light because I can carry them to work all day.
2AdjectiveA2
soft; quiet (of sound)
Quiet or soft in volume; not loud.
Examples
ช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]พูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutเบาหน่อยbao-nɔ̀iเบาหน่อยbao-nɔ̀iquieter; softer; more gentlyคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉnคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉn1other people; others2someone else; another personกำลังgam-langกำลังgam-lang1currently; in the middle of2power; strength3power (physics)4troops; forcesพักผ่อนpák-pɔ̀ɔnพักผ่อนpák-pɔ̀ɔn[to] rest; relax; take a break
Please speak softly; others are resting.
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Could you turn the music down a bit?
The teacher told us to talk quietly in the library.
หมอmŏrบอกให้bòk hâiใช้cháiเสียงเบาsĭiang baoๆ-เวลาway-laaคุยkuiกับgàpคนไข้kon kâiที่têeเพิ่งpêrngผ่าตัดpàa dtàt
The doctor said to speak softly when talking to the patient who just had surgery.
3AdjectiveB1
gentle; mild; light (degree/force)
Not strong or intense; gentle or mild in force, degree, or severity (e.g., light rain, mild punishment).
Examples
วันนี้wan néeวันนี้wan née1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentฝนตกfŏn dtòkฝนตกfŏn dtòkit is raining; [to] rainเบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easeๆ-เดินไปdern bpaiเดินไปdern bpai[to] walk to [somewhere]ตลาดdtà-làatตลาดdtà-làat1market; marketplace2market (economic demand/sector)3popular; mainstream (colloq.)ได้dâiได้dâi1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action markerสบายsà-baaiสบายsà-baai1comfortable; at ease2well; fine (health/state)3[to] be comfortable; feel at ease4easy; effortless
It’s drizzling lightly today; we can walk to the market comfortably.
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คุณหมอkun-mɔ̌ɔให้hâiยาyaaแบบbɛ̀ɛpเบาbaoเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiร่างกายrâang-gaaiปรับตัวbpràp-dtuuaก่อนgɔ̀ɔn
The doctor prescribed a mild dose so that the body can adjust first.
ครูkruuลงโทษlong-tôotเบาbaoกับgàpนักเรียนnák-riianที่tîiทำผิดtam-pìtครั้งแรกkráng-rɛ̂ɛkและlɛ́ให้โอกาสhâi-oo-gàatแก้ตัวgɛ̂ɛ-dtuua
The teacher gave a mild punishment to the student who made a first-time mistake and allowed a chance to make amends.
รัฐบาลrát-tà-baanใช้cháiมาตรการmâat-dtrà-gaanเบาbaoในช่วงnai-chûuangเริ่มต้นrə̂əm-dtônเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiกระทบgrà-tópเศรษฐกิจsèet-tà-gìtรุนแรงrun-rɛɛngเกินไปgəən-bpai
The government implemented mild measures at the beginning to avoid overly severe impacts on the economy.
4AdjectiveB1
easy; light (workload/effort)
Not demanding or requiring much effort; easy to do (e.g., light work, take it easy).
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentงานngaanงานngaan1work; job; employment2task; assignment; duty3event; fair; function4work (product); creation5unit (classifier) for events6work (physics)เบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easeเสร็จsètเสร็จsèt1finished; done2[to] finish; be done3done for; screwed (slang)ไวwaiไวwai1fast; quick; rapid2early; soon; ahead of time3sensitive; reactiveเราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ไปกินข้าวbpai-gin-kâaoไปกินข้าวbpai-gin-kâao[to] go eatกันganกันgan1together; together with2each other; one another (post-verb marker)3[to] prevent; keep [sth] out; ward off; block4protective; resistant to; -proof5I; me (informal, male speech)6[to] set aside; reserve; earmarkไหมmǎiไหมmǎi1yes–no question particle; or not?2silk
Work is light today and finished quickly; shall we go eat?
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ถ้าtâaเพิ่งpêrngฟื้นตัวféun dtuuaให้hâiเริ่มrêrmออกกำลังกายòk gam-lang gaaiแบบbàepเบาๆbao baoก่อนgòn
If you’re just recovering, start with light exercise first.
ช่วงเช้าchûuang-cháaoให้hâiทำงานtam-ngaanที่tîiเบาbaoแล้วlɛ́ɛoค่อยkɔ̂iทำงานtam-ngaanที่tîiใช้cháiแรงมากrɛɛng-mâakตอนบ่ายdtɔɔn-bàai
In the morning, do the light tasks and leave the more strenuous work for the afternoon.
ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaanบอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâiปรับbpràpตารางdtaa-raangใหม่màiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiพนักงานpá-nák-ngaanมีmiiวันwanงานngaanที่tîiเบาbaoบ้างbâangสลับsà-làpกับgàpวันที่wan-tîiหนักnàk
The manager told us to adjust the schedule so employees have light workdays alternating with heavy ones.
5VerbB1
[to] urinate (polite euphemism)
To pass urine; a polite or indirect way to say pee.
Examples
ขอkɔ̌ɔขอkɔ̌ɔ1[to] request; ask for [sth]2polite request marker3[to] beg; plead4[to] wish for; pray forไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastเบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easeก่อนนะgɔ̀ɔn-náก่อนนะgɔ̀ɔn-náfirst (polite); used on leaving ('I'll go first')เดี๋ยวdǐiaoเดี๋ยวdǐiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …กลับมาglàp-maaกลับมาglàp-maa1[to] come back; return2[to] resume; make a comeback; be back
Let me go pee first; I’ll be right back.
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ลูกlûukบอกbɔ̀ɔkครูkruuว่าwâaอยากyàakไปbpaiเบาbaoแล้วlɛ́ɛoขออนุญาตkɔ̌ɔ-à-nú-yâatออกจากɔ̀ɔk-jàakห้องเรียนhɔ̂ng-riian
The child told the teacher they wanted to pee and asked to leave the classroom.
During the long meeting, he asked for a short break to go pee.
ขอโทษนะkɔ̌ɔ-tôot-náครับkrápขออนุญาตkɔ̌ɔ-à-nú-yâatไปbpaiเบาbaoสักครู่sàk-krûuเดี๋ยวdǐiaoกลับglàpมาประชุมmaa-bprà-chumต่อdtɔ̀ɔ
Excuse me, may I step out to pee for a moment? I’ll return to the meeting shortly.
6VerbB2
[to] lighten; reduce; ease
To make something less in amount, weight, force, intensity, or severity.
Examples
ถ้าtâaถ้าtâaif; in caseเพิ่มpə̂əmเพิ่มpə̂əm1[to] increase; add2additional; more3more; extraหมอนmɔ̌ɔnหมอนmɔ̌ɔnpillowอีกìikอีกìik1more; additional2again3else; other4yet; still (in comparisons/time)ใบbaiใบbai1leaf2sheet; slip; card; ticket; bill; receipt3classifier for leaves, paper items, containers, and certain other objects4license; permit; certificate5bladeความkwaamความkwaam1abstract noun prefix2matter; case; contentเจ็บคอjèp-kɔɔเจ็บคอjèp-kɔɔ1[to] have a sore throat2sore throatอาจจะàat-jàอาจจะàat-jàmaybe; perhaps; mightเบาลงbao-longเบาลงbao-long[to] lessen; [to] become lighter/softer/quieter
If you add another pillow, the neck pain might lessen.
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We should take a break to lessen the stress.
ยาแก้ปวดyaa-gɛ̂ɛ-bpùuatตัวdtuuaนี้níiช่วยให้chûuai-hâiอาการปวดaa-gaan-bpùuatเบาลงbao-longภายในpaai-naiครึ่งkrʉ̂ngชั่วโมงchûua-moong
This painkiller helps reduce the pain within half an hour.
การกระจายgaan-grà-jaaiงานngaanให้hâiทีมtiimมากขึ้นmâak-kʉ̂nจะjàทำให้tam-hâiภาระpaa-ráของkɔ̌ɔngแต่ละdtɛ̀ɛ-láคนkonเบาลงbao-long
Distributing more tasks to the team will lighten each person’s workload.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel เ-า hides a final -ว, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
bao
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid 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 | — | — |