เหลา
lǎoMeanings
1VerbB1
to sharpen/whittle
to make something sharper, thinner, or smoother by shaving or paring off small pieces
Examples
พ่อเหลาpɔ̂ɔ-lǎoพ่อเหลาpɔ̂ɔ-lǎoritual carver; consecrator (folk/regional)ดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔ1pencil2classifier: แท่งให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3[to] have [sb] do; cause to4for (benefit of)5so that; in order to6until; to the point that (result)คมkomคมkom1sharp (edge/point)2cutting edge3keen; sharp (sense/feature)4incisive; witty (remark/thought)ก่อนที่gɔ̀ɔn-tîiก่อนที่gɔ̀ɔn-tîibefore (introducing a clause)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâanทำการบ้านtam-gaan-bâan1[to] do homework2[to] prepare oneself; [to] do research
Dad sharpened the pencil before I did my homework.
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ช่างไม้châng-máaiใช้cháiกบgòpไสsǎiเหลาไม้lǎo-máaiให้hâiเรียบrîiapและlɛ́บางลงbaang-longเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaทำtamลิ้นชักlín-chák
The carpenter used a plane to shave the wood smoother and thinner to make a drawer.
He gradually honed the knife on a stone until it was sharp enough to fillet fish.
ประติมากรbprà-dtì-maa-gɔɔnเหลาlǎoเสี้ยนsîianหินอ่อนhǐn-ɔ̀ɔnทีละนิดtii-lá-nítเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaปรับbpràpสัดส่วนsàt-sùuanให้hâiเนียนniianตาdtaa
The sculptor pared away bits of marble little by little to refine the proportions smoothly.
2NounB2
upscale Chinese restaurant (Thai)
(Thai usage) a high-end Chinese or banquet-style restaurant; by extension, a fancy eatery (informal/slang)
Examples
งานเลี้ยงngaan-líiangงานเลี้ยงngaan-líiangparty; banquet; reception; feast; functionคืนนี้kʉʉn-níiคืนนี้kʉʉn-níi1tonight (the night of today)2tonightเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillจัดjàtจัดjàt1[to] arrange; organize; set up2[to] provide; supply; allocate3intense; strong; extremeที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerเหลาlǎoเหลาlǎo1to sharpen/whittle2upscale Chinese restaurant (Thai)แถวtɛ̌ɛoแถวtɛ̌ɛo1row; line2area; neighborhood; vicinity3[classifier] row; line4approximately; about (colloquial)เยาวราชyao-wá-râatเยาวราชyao-wá-râat1Yaowarat; Bangkok’s Chinatown2Yaowarat Roadมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoอาหารจีนaa-hǎan-jiinอาหารจีนaa-hǎan-jiinChinese foodเต็มdtemเต็มdtem1full; filled2complete; entire; full (amount)3[to] be full4fully; completely; to the fullชุดchútชุดchút1set; collection2outfit; suit; uniform3classifier for sets/outfits/equipment4series; batch
Tonight’s banquet is at a high-end Chinese restaurant near Yaowarat, with a full Chinese course.
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เจ้านายjâo-naaiพาลูกpaa-lûukค้าkáaต่างชาติdtàang-châatไปเหลาbpai-lǎoเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaคุยkuiธุรกิจtú-rá-gìtอย่างเป็นทางการyàang-bpen-taang-gaan
The boss took foreign clients to a fancy eatery to discuss business formally.
เมนูmee-nuuที่tîiเหลาlǎoเสิร์ฟsə̀əpเป็นbpenคอร์สkɔ́ɔtใหญ่yàiมีmiiเป็ดปักกิ่งbpèt-bpàk-gìngซุปหูฉลามsúp-hǔu-chà-lǎamและlɛ́ของหวานkɔ̌ɔng-wǎanแบบbɛ̀ɛpแต้จิ๋วdtɛ̂ɛ-jǐu
The banquet-style restaurant serves a grand course menu, including Peking duck, shark fin soup, and Teochew desserts.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàไม่ใช่mâi-châiงานมงคลngaan-mong-konเราraoก็gɔ̂เลือกlʉ̂ʉakไปเหลาbpai-lǎoเพราะprɔ́บริการbɔɔ-rí-gaanเนี้ยบníiapและlɛ́ห้องhɔ̂ngส่วนตัวsùuan-dtuuaเงียบngîiapเหมาะmɔ̀คุยงานkui-ngaan
Even though it’s not a celebratory event, we chose a fancy restaurant because of its impeccable service and quiet private rooms suitable for work talks.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh classLeading หA silent ห before ล puts this syllable in high class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel เ-า hides a final -ว, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
lǎo
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
+
ลาlaaลาlaa1donkey2[to] say goodbye; take one’s leave3leave (from work/school)4[to] take leave; request leavedonkeyPart 2
เหลาlǎoเหลาlǎoto sharpen/whittleto sharpen/whittleWord