เสี่ยว
sìiaoMeanings
1NounB2
best friend; sworn brother (Isan/Northern)
a very close friend like a sworn brother, used in Isan and Northern dialects
Examples
ผมpǒmผมpǒm1I; me (male speaker, polite)2hair (on the head)กับgàpกับgàp1with; together with2and (informal)3side dish; accompaniment4against; versus5to; toward (recipient/target)6classifier: sets/pairs (spoon and fork)เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillเป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)เสี่ยวsìiaoเสี่ยวsìiao1best friend; sworn brother (Isan/Northern)2tacky; unfashionable (slang, derog.)กันganกันgan1together; 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; earmarkมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛfrom; since (starting point)เรียนriianเรียนriian1[to] study; learn2[to] take (a course/subject)3[to] respectfully inform; address (formal)มหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiมหาวิทยาลัยmá-hǎa-wít-tá-yaa-laiuniversityช่วยเหลือกันchûuai-lʉ̌ʉa-ganช่วยเหลือกันchûuai-lʉ̌ʉa-gan[to] help each otherตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔtตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔt1throughout; continuously; all the time2throughout; along (extent/duration)
He and I have been sworn-brother-like close friends since university, always helping each other.
3 more examplesShow less
เวลาwee-laaไปเที่ยวbpai-tîiaoอีสานii-sǎanผมpǒmมักได้mák-dâaiยินyinคนkonเรียกrîiakเพื่อนสนิทpʉ̂ʉan-sà-nìtว่าwâaเสี่ยวsìiao
When I travel to Isan, I often hear people call their close friends ‘siao.’
เขาkǎoแนะนำnɛ́-namผมpǒmกับgàpพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛว่าwâaเป็นbpenเสี่ยวsìiaoที่tîiผ่านpàanทุกtúkช่วงชีวิตchûuang-chii-wítมาด้วยกันmaa-dûuai-gan
He introduced me to his parents as a sworn brother who has been through all of life’s phases together.
คำว่าkam-wâaเสี่ยวsìiaoในnaiภาคอีสานpâak-ii-sǎanใช้cháiเรียกrîiakเพื่อนรักpʉ̂ʉan-rákที่tîiผูกพันpùuk-panกันganแน่นแฟ้นnɛ̂ɛn-fɛ́ɛnราวraaoพี่น้องpîi-nɔ́ɔngร่วมสาบานrûuam-sǎa-baan
In the Isan region, the word ‘siao’ refers to a beloved friend bonded as tightly as sworn siblings.
2AdjectiveB2
tacky; unfashionable (slang, derog.)
slang, often derogatory: describing someone or something as tasteless, unsophisticated, or unfashionable; common in Thai internet usage
Examples
ชุดchútชุดchút1set; collection2outfit; suit; uniform3classifier for sets/outfits/equipment4series; batchนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ดูduuดูduu1[to] look; watch; see2[to] examine; check; inspect3[to] seem; appear4try; have a go5[to] divine; tell fortuneเสี่ยวsìiaoเสี่ยวsìiao1best friend; sworn brother (Isan/Northern)2tacky; unfashionable (slang, derog.)ไปหน่อยbpai-nɔ̀iไปหน่อยbpai-nɔ̀i1a little (farther/over); slightly2a bit (too); somewhat excessiveใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyงานแต่งngaan-dtɛ̀ngงานแต่งngaan-dtɛ̀ngwedding (ceremony/party); wedding eventคงไม่kong-mâiคงไม่kong-mâiprobably not; unlikely; I don't think soเหมาะmɔ̀เหมาะmɔ̀1suitable; appropriate; fitting2[to] suit; be appropriate
This outfit looks a bit tasteless; it’s probably not suitable for a wedding.
3 more examplesShow less
He likes posting cheesy, tacky captions on social media, so his friends tease him.
โลโก้loh gôhใหม่màiดูdooเสี่ยวsìaoและláeล้าสมัยláa sà-măiทำให้tam hâiภาพลักษณ์pâap-pá-lákแบรนด์braenดูdooไม่mâiมืออาชีพmeu aa-chêep
The new logo looks tacky and outdated, making the brand image seem unprofessional.
เพลงpleengนี้níiท่อนฮุกtɔ̂ɔn-húkออกแนวɔ̀ɔk-nɛɛoเสี่ยวsìiaoจนjonคนkonบนbonทวิตเตอร์tá-wít-dtə̂əบ่นbònว่าwâaไม่mâiกล้าglâaฟังfangต่อdtɔ̀ɔ
The hook of this song is so cringey and tacky that people on Twitter complain they don’t dare continue listening.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Low tone
sìiao
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
High class + Mai ek → 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 | — | — |