เฝ้า
fâoMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] watch over; guard; keep; monitor
to stay with and look after someone or something to protect or monitor it; to keep watch
Examples
ยามyaamยามyaam1guard; watchman2time; period; at the time of (formal/lit.)3watch duty; guard shift4quarter of the night (traditional)เฝ้าfâoเฝ้าfâo1[to] watch over; guard; keep; monitor2[to] attend; sit by; keep vigil3keep (doing); continually4[to] await; watch forประตูbprà-dtuuประตูbprà-dtuu1door; gate; portal2goal (structure or score)3classifier: doors; gates; goalsทั้งคืนtáng-kʉʉnทั้งคืนtáng-kʉʉn1all night; the whole night2the entire night
The guard watches the gate all night.
3 more examplesShow less
Villagers take turns guarding the cattle pen to prevent theft.
พ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛเฝ้าfâoลูกlûukระหว่างrá-wàangแข่งขันkɛ̀ng-kǎnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaดูduuความปลอดภัยkwaam-bplɔ̀ɔt-paiของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎo
The parents keep watch over their child during the competition to ensure his safety.
เขาkǎoติดdtìtกล้องวงจรปิดglɔ̂ng-wong-jɔɔn-bpìtและlɛ́เฝ้าfâoหน้าจอnâa-jɔɔเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaตรวจdtrùuatความเคลื่อนไหวkwaam-klʉ̂ʉan-wǎiรอบrɔ̂ɔpโกดังgoo-dang
He installed CCTV and monitors the screens to check movements around the warehouse.
2VerbB1
[to] attend; sit by; keep vigil
to remain by someone’s side for care or concern, especially when they are ill or during the night
Examples
เมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉnเมื่อคืนmʉ̂ʉa-kʉʉn1last night (the night before today)2last nightฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เฝ้าfâoเฝ้าfâo1[to] watch over; guard; keep; monitor2[to] attend; sit by; keep vigil3keep (doing); continually4[to] await; watch forแม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerโรงพยาบาลroong-pá-yaa-baanโรงพยาบาลroong-pá-yaa-baanhospitalจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofเช้าcháoเช้าcháo1morning2morning; early-morning3in the morning
Last night I stayed by my mother's side at the hospital until morning.
3 more examplesShow less
พ่อpɔ̂ɔสลับsà-làpกับgàpพี่ชายpîi-chaaiคอยkɔɔiเฝ้าตาfâo-dtaaยายyaaiตอนกลางคืนdtɔɔn-glaang-kʉʉnเพราะprɔ́ท่านtânไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iสบายsà-baai
Dad takes turns with my older brother to stay with our grandparents at night because they are unwell.
ทีมtiimพยาบาลpá-yaa-baanเฝ้าfâoคนไข้kon-kâiตลอดทั้งdtà-lɔ̀ɔt-tángคืนkʉʉnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaดูduuอาการaa-gaanหลังlǎngผ่าตัดpàa-dtàt
The nursing team stayed with the patient all night to monitor the condition after surgery.
เธอterนั่งnângเฝ้าfâoสามีsăa-meeข้างkâangเตียงdtiangอย่างเงียบๆyàang ngîiap ngîiapทั้งคืนtáng keunเพราะpráwเกรงว่าgreng wâaเขาkăoจะjàไข้ขึ้นkâi kûenอีกèek
She sat quietly by her husband's bedside all night, fearing his fever might rise again.
3VerbB1
keep (doing); continually
Placed before a verb to indicate continuous, repeated, or persistent action.
4VerbB2
[to] await; watch for
to stay and wait attentively for something to happen or for someone to arrive
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillยืนyʉʉnยืนyʉʉn1[to] stand2standing; upright (posture/position)3fixed; steady; unchanged (figurative)4to be fixed; remain unchanged (figurative)เฝ้าfâoเฝ้าfâo1[to] watch over; guard; keep; monitor2[to] attend; sit by; keep vigil3keep (doing); continually4[to] await; watch forหน้าบ้านnâa-bâanหน้าบ้านnâa-bâan1front of the house; frontage2front office; customer-facing sideรอrɔɔรอrɔɔ1[to] wait2[to] wait for; awaitเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉanเพื่อนpʉ̂ʉan1friend2classmate; colleague (peer)3companion; fellowกลับมาglàp-maaกลับมาglàp-maa1[to] come back; return2[to] resume; make a comeback; be back
He stood waiting in front of the house, waiting for his friend to return.
3 more examplesShow less
She kept watching her phone screen, intent on waiting for a reply.
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanเฝ้าfâoริมrimท่าน้ำtâa-náamทั้งคืนtáng-kʉʉnหวังwǎngจะได้jà-dâaiต้อนรับdtɔ̂ɔn-rápเรือrʉʉaของkɔ̌ɔngลูกหลานlûuk-lǎan
Villagers waited by the pier all night, hoping to welcome the boat of their children and grandchildren.
เขาkǎoเฝ้ารอfâo-rɔɔฤดูฝนrʉ́-duu-fǒnแรกrɛ̂ɛkด้วยdûuaiความคาดหวังkwaam-kâat-wǎngว่าwâaจะjàพลิกฟื้นplík-fʉ́ʉnไร่นาrâi-naaได้dâai
He waited attentively for the first rains, hoping to revive his fields.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Falling tone
fâo
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
High class + Mai tho → Falling
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 | — | — |