เปรต
bprèetMeanings
1NounB2
hungry ghost; preta (Buddhist spirit)
In Buddhist and Thai folk belief, a type of spirit tormented by insatiable hunger and thirst, often depicted as being extremely tall with a tiny mouth and a swollen belly.
Examples
ยายyaaiยายyaai1grandmother (maternal)2old woman (informal; can be rude)เล่าให้ฟังlâo-hâi-fangเล่าให้ฟังlâo-hâi-fang[to] tell [sb]; [to] recount (to [sb]); [to] share what happened (with [sb])ว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] cause; makeบาปbàapบาปbàap1sin; demerit2sinful; morally wrongตอนdtɔɔnตอนdtɔɔn1section; part2episode; chapter3when; at the time (of)4time segment; period5classifier for sections, chapters, or episodes6[to] castrate (an animal)7[to] air-layer (a branch)มีชีวิตอยู่mii-chii-wít-yùuมีชีวิตอยู่mii-chii-wít-yùu1[to] be alive; stay alive2[to] live on (figurative); continue to existตายไปdtaai-bpaiตายไปdtaai-bpai[to] pass away; [to] dieอาจจะàat-jàอาจจะàat-jàmaybe; perhaps; mightต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toเกิดgə̀ətเกิดgə̀ət1to be born2to happen; occur; arise3born (indicating birthplace/time)4(colloq.) if it happens that; unexpectedlyเป็นเปรตbpen-bprèetเป็นเปรตbpen-bprèet[to] be/become a hungry ghost
Grandma told me that people who sin while they are alive might be reborn as a 'pret' (hungry ghost) after they die.
3 more examplesShow less
ในงานบุญnai-ngaan-bunเดือนสิบdʉʉan-sìpทางtaangภาคใต้pâak-dtâaiมีmiiประเพณีbprà-pee-niiชิงเปรตching-bprèetเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaอุทิศส่วนกุศลù-tít-sùuan-gù-sǒnให้แก่hâi-gɛ̀ɛเปรตbprèetซึ่งsʉ̂ngเป็นbpenบรรพบุรุษban-pá-bù-rút
In the 10th-month merit-making festival in the South, there is a tradition of 'Ching Pret' to dedicate merit to the hungry ghosts who are ancestors.
ตามdtaamความเชื่อkwaam-chʉ̂ʉaทางtaangพุทธศาสนาpút-tá-sàat-sà-nǎaเปรตbprèetคือkʉʉภพภูมิpóp-puumของkɔ̌ɔngผู้ที่pûu-tîiตระหนี่ถี่เหนียวdtrà-nìi-tìi-nǐiaoและlɛ́เบียดเบียนbìiat-biianผู้อื่นpûu-ʉ̀ʉnทำให้tam-hâiต้องdtɔ̂ngทนทุกข์ton-túkกับgàpความหิวkwaam-hǐuโหยhǒoiไม่mâiสิ้นสุดsîn-sùt
According to Buddhist belief, a 'pret' is a realm for those who were stingy and exploitative of others, causing them to suffer from endless hunger.
ภาพวาดpâap-wâatเปรตbprèetมักmákมีmiiลักษณะlák-sà-nàตัวสูงdtuua-sǔungเท่าtâoต้นตาลdtôn-dtaanแต่dtɛ̀ɛมีmiiปากbpàakเท่าtâoรูruuเข็มkěmซึ่งsʉ̂ngเป็นbpenการสะท้อนgaan-sà-tɔ́ɔnผลกรรมpǒn-gamที่tîiทำให้tam-hâiกินginอะไรà-raiไม่ได้mâi-dâaiแม้mɛ́ɛจะjàหิวhǐuมากmâakก็ตามgɔ̂-dtaam
Paintings of 'pret' (hungry ghosts) often depict them as tall as a sugar palm tree but with a mouth as small as a needle's eye, reflecting the karmic result of being unable to eat despite being extremely hungry.
2NounB2
despicable person (offensive slang)
A very strong and offensive term of abuse for a despicable, greedy, or contemptible person.
Examples
ไอ้เปรตâi-bprèetไอ้เปรตâi-bprèet1you bastard; vile person; greedy wretch (offensive insult; lit. 'hungry ghost')2you bastard!; damn you!3a very tall, lanky person (derog.)เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8keep on (doing); on and on (V + เอา ๆ)เงินngənเงินngən1money2silver (metal)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)คืนมาkʉʉn-maaคืนมาkʉʉn-maa[to] give back (to the speaker); [to] return [sth] hereนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle3wondering particle
You despicable wretch! Give me my money back!
3 more examplesShow less
อย่าyàaไปbpaiคบkópกับgàpมันmanเลยləəiคนkonอะไรà-raiก็gɔ̂ไม่รู้mâi-rúuเห็นแก่ตัวhěn-gɛ̀ɛ-dtuuaอย่างกับyàang-gàpเปรตbprèet
Don't associate with him at all. What kind of person is he? Selfish like a contemptible person.
เขาkǎoถูกtùukชาวบ้านchaao-bâanตราหน้าdtraa-nâaว่าwâaเป็นเปรตbpen-bprèetเพราะprɔ́โกงgoongเงินบริจาคngən-bɔɔ-rí-jàakของkɔ̌ɔngวัดwátไปbpaiใช้cháiส่วนตัวsùuan-dtuua
He was labeled by the villagers as a despicable person because he embezzled the temple's donation money for personal use.
นักการเมืองnák-gaan-mʉʉangพวกนั้นpûuak-nánมันmanก็gɔ̂แค่kɛ̂ɛฝูงfǔungเปรตbprèetที่tîiคอยkɔɔiสูบเลือดสูบเนื้อsùup-lʉ̂ʉat-sùup-nʉ́ʉaประชาชนbprà-chaa-chonไม่เคยmâi-kəəiทำtamประโยชน์bprà-yòotอะไรà-raiให้hâiประเทศชาติbprà-têet-châatเลยləəi
Those politicians are just a swarm of despicable creatures, sucking the lifeblood of the people, never doing anything beneficial for the nation.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid classConsonant clusterIn the cluster ปร, the first consonant ป sets the class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableEnds in -ต, a stop, so it is dead.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
bprèet
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → 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 | — | — |