เล็ก
lékMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
small; little
of small size; not big
Examples
กล่องglɔ̀ngกล่องglɔ̀ng1box; case; container2classifier: boxes; box-shaped containersนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เล็กlékเล็กlék1small; little2young; younger; youngest3minor; slightมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
This box is very small.
3 more examplesShow less
This shirt is too small for me.
Yesterday I bought a small bag to carry things.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiเราraoจะjàย้ายไปyáai-bpaiห้องhɔ̂ngใหม่màiที่tîiเล็กกว่าlék-gwàaเดิมdəəmนิดหน่อยnít-nɔ̀i
Tomorrow we will move to a new room that's a bit smaller than before.
2AdjectiveA2
young; younger; youngest
young in age, or younger or youngest within a family or group, as in น้องเล็ก, the youngest sibling.
Examples
พี่ชายpîi-chaaiพี่ชายpîi-chaaiolder brother; elder male siblingบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)พี่pîiพี่pîi1older sibling2older person (informal address)ส่วนsùuanส่วนsùuan1part; portion; section2share; quota3department; division; unit4as for; regarding5over (in fractions)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)น้องnɔ́ɔngน้องnɔ́ɔng1younger sibling2junior; younger personเล็กlékเล็กlék1small; little2young; younger; youngest3minor; slight
My brother says he’s the older one, and I’m the youngest sibling.
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The junior employees often ask the senior ones for advice.
ในnaiวงดนตรีwong-don-dtriiเขาkǎoเป็นbpenมือกลองmʉʉ-glɔɔngเล็กlékที่tîiเพิ่งpə̂ngเข้ามาkâo-maaจึงjʉngคอยkɔɔiดูduuพี่ใหญ่pîi-yàiเป็นbpenแบบอย่างbɛ̀ɛp-yàang
In the band, he’s the junior drummer who just joined, so he looks to the senior as a model.
3AdjectiveB1
minor; slight
of small degree or importance; not serious
Examples
ไม่ต้องmâi dtôngไม่ต้องmâi dtông1don't have to; no need to2no need to; don't have to; don't3don't; no needกังวลgang-wonกังวลgang-won1worried; anxious2[to] worry; be anxious (about)เรื่องrêuuangเรื่องrêuuang1matter; issue; subject2story; tale3classifier for stories/films/cases4about; regarding (as a topic marker)นี้néeนี้née1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)ปัญหาbpan-hăaปัญหาbpan-hăa1problem; issue2question (for discussion)เล็กlékเล็กlék1small; little2young; younger; youngest3minor; slightๆ-แก้ได้gâe dâiแก้ได้gâe dâisolvable; fixableง่ายngâaiง่ายngâai1easy; simple2easily; readily
Don't worry. This is a small issue and can be fixed easily.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkǎoมองว่าmɔɔng-wâaอาการaa-gaanเจ็บคอjèp-kɔɔเป็นbpenเรื่องเล็กrʉ̂ʉang-lékเลยləəiไม่mâiไปหาหมอbpai-hǎa-mɔ̌ɔ
He considered the sore throat a minor matter, so he didn't go to the doctor.
ข้อผิดพลาดkɔ̂ɔ-pìt-plâatเล็กน้อยlék-nɔ́ɔiนี้níiไม่mâiกระทบgrà-tópผลการสอบpǒn-gaan-sɔ̀ɔpโดยรวมdooi-ruuam
This minor mistake doesn't affect the overall exam result.
ปัญหาbpan-hǎaนี้níiเล็กlékเกินกว่าgəən-gwàaจะjàเรียกประชุมrîiak-bprà-chumใหญ่yàiเราraoแก้gɛ̂ɛกันganในnaiทีมtiimย่อยyɔ̂ɔiก็gɔ̂พอpɔɔ
This issue is too minor to call a big meeting; we can resolve it within the small team.
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 endingDead syllableShort vowelEnds in -ก, a stop, so it is dead.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
High tone
lék
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Low class + No tone mark + Dead syllable · Short vowel → High
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 | — | — |