เสียว
sǐiaoMeanings
1AdjectiveB1
tingly; shivery; sensitive (fear/thrill/pain)
Feeling a sharp tingle, shiver, or sensitivity, often from fear, thrill, nervousness, or pain (e.g., เสียวสันหลังเสียวสันหลังsǐiao-sǎn-lǎng[to] feel a chill down one's spine; เสียวฟันเสียวฟันsǐiao-fan1[to] feel tooth sensitivity; have a sharp twinge in the teeth2experiencing tooth sensitivity3tooth sensitivity (symptom)4[to] feel a cringe-inducing tooth tingle (figurative)).
Examples
ตอนdtonตอนdton1section; part2episode; chapter3when; at the time (of)4time segment; periodนั่งnângนั่งnâng1[to] sit; sit down2[to] take; ride [sth] (vehicle)ชิงช้าสวรรค์ching cháa sà-wănชิงช้าสวรรค์ching cháa sà-wănFerris wheelสูงsŏongสูงsŏong1tall; high (physical height)2high (degree/level/price/rank)3up; to a high position4advanced; elevated (abstract)ๆ-ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)รู้สึกrúu-sèukรู้สึกrúu-sèuk1[to] feel; sense2[to] feel that…; think (impression/opinion)เสียววาบsĭiao wâapเสียววาบsĭiao wâapsuddenly tingling; momentarily thrilled or frightenedที่têeที่têe1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerท้องtóngท้องtóng1belly; abdomen; stomach (body part); underside (of sth)2womb; mother's belly3[to] be pregnant4expanse; interior; area (in compounds)นิดหน่อยnít nòiนิดหน่อยnít nòi1a little; a bit2a small amount
When riding a very high Ferris wheel, I felt a slight tingle in my stomach.
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พอpɔɔรถไฟเหาะrót-fai-hɔ̀ดิ่งลงdìng-longฉันchǎnทั้งtángตื่นเต้นdtʉ̀ʉn-dtênทั้งtángเสียวsǐiaoจนเผลอjon-plə̌əกรี๊ดgríit
When the roller coaster dropped, I was both thrilled and tingling with fear and accidentally screamed.
เวลาway-laaเดินข้ามdern kâamสะพานsà-paanแคบkâepๆ-เหนือnĕuuaเหวhĕoฉันchănจะjàเสียวสันหลังsĭiao săn lăngทุกครั้งtúk kráng
Whenever I walk across a narrow bridge over a ravine, I get shivers down my spine.
ได้ยินdâi-yinเสียงsǐiangกระจกgrà-jòkแตกdtɛ̀ɛkกะทันหันgà-tan-hǎnแล้วlɛ́ɛoเสียววาบsǐiao-wâapเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanหัวใจhǔua-jaiหล่นlònเพราะprɔ́ตกใจdtòk-jaiและlɛ́กังวลgang-wonว่าwâaเกิดgə̀ətอะไรà-raiขึ้นkʉ̂n
Hearing the sudden sound of shattering glass sent a sharp shiver through me, as if my heart dropped, from shock and worry about what happened.
2VerbB1
[to] feel a sharp twinge
To experience a sudden, sharp, nerve-like sensation in a body part (e.g., เสียวฟันเสียวฟันsǐiao-fan1[to] feel tooth sensitivity; have a sharp twinge in the teeth2experiencing tooth sensitivity3tooth sensitivity (symptom)4[to] feel a cringe-inducing tooth tingle (figurative) = tooth sensitivity).
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)กินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] take medicine (colloquial)4[to] consume; use up5[to] corrode; erode; eat into6[to] take (a bribe); pocketน้ำเย็นnáam-yenน้ำเย็นnáam-yencold water; cool waterแล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)เสียวฟันsǐiao-fanเสียวฟันsǐiao-fan1[to] feel tooth sensitivity; have a sharp twinge in the teeth2experiencing tooth sensitivity3tooth sensitivity (symptom)4[to] feel a cringe-inducing tooth tingle (figurative)ทันทีtan-tiiทันทีtan-tiiimmediately; at once
I drank cold water and immediately felt tooth sensitivity.
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หมอmɔ̌ɔบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaเคลือบฟันklʉ̂ʉap-fanบางbaangทำให้tam-hâiฉันchǎnเสียวฟันsǐiao-fanเวลาwee-laaแปรงbprɛɛng
The dentist said my enamel is thin, which makes my teeth sensitive when I brush.
หลังจากlăng jàakอุดฟันùt fanใหม่màiๆ-เขาkăoยังyangเสียวฟันsĭiao fanเมื่อmêuuaกินginของหวานkŏng wăanจัดjàt
After a recent filling, he still feels tooth sensitivity when eating very sweet foods.
เธอterบอกว่าbòk wâaเสียวsĭiaoเหงือกngèuuakด้านหน้าdâan nâaเป็นbpenพักpákๆ-เมื่อmêuuaอากาศเย็นaa-gàat yenจัดjàtและláeโดนdohnลมlom
She said she experiences intermittent sharp sensitivity in the front gums when it’s very cold and windy.
3AdjectiveB1
nervous/scared (colloquial)
Informal: feeling scared or apprehensive about potential risk or danger.
Examples
ดูduuดูduu1[to] look; watch; see2[to] examine; check; inspect3[to] seem; appear4try; have a go5[to] divine; tell fortuneคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringปีนbpiinปีนbpiin[to] climb; scaleตึกสูงdtʉ̀k-sǔungตึกสูงdtʉ̀k-sǔunghigh‑rise; tall buildingแล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)เสียวsǐiaoเสียวsǐiao1tingly; shivery; sensitive (fear/thrill/pain)2[to] feel a sharp twinge3nervous/scared (colloquial)กลัวgluuaกลัวgluua1[to] be afraid; fear2afraid; fearfulเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillพลาดplâatพลาดplâat1[to] miss; fail to catch; fail to attend2[to] make a mistake; slip up3mistaken; in errorตกลงมาdtòk-long-maaตกลงมาdtòk-long-maa1[to] fall down; come down2[to] drop; decrease (of values/levels)
Watching someone climb a tall building makes me nervous; I’m afraid they might fall.
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ขี่kìiมอเตอร์ไซค์mɔɔ-dtəə-sáiลงlongเขาkǎoตอนdtɔɔnฝนตกfǒn-dtòkผมpǒmเสียวsǐiaoว่าwâaจะjàลื่นล้มlʉ̂ʉn-lóm
Riding a motorbike downhill in the rain, I’m worried that I might slip and fall.
Seeing the unlit road makes me apprehensive; I’m afraid a car might hit us.
พอporเรือreuuaโคลงklongแรงๆraeng raengผมก็pŏm gôrเสียวsĭiaoว่าwâaคลื่นklêunลูกใหญ่lôok yàiจะjàซัดsátจนjonเราraoคว่ำkwâm
When the boat rocked hard, I was anxious that a big wave might hit and capsize us.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ว, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
sǐiao
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Rising
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 | — | — |