แข้
kɛ̂ɛMeaning
1NounC1
crocodile (dialect)
A crocodile; a regional word used in Isan and Northern Thai.
Examples
ระวังrá-wangระวังrá-wang1[to] be careful; take care2watch out!; caution!3[to] watch out for; guard againstนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle3wondering particleแถวนี้tɛ̌ɛo-níiแถวนี้tɛ̌ɛo-níi1around here; nearby2this area; this neighborhood3approximately; around this time/amountเขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillว่ากันว่าwâa-gan-wâaว่ากันว่าwâa-gan-wâait is said that; they sayมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoแข้kɛ̂ɛแข้kɛ̂ɛcrocodile (dialect)อยู่ในyùu-naiอยู่ในyùu-nai[to] be in [somewhere]คลองklɔɔngคลองklɔɔng1canal2classifier: canals/ditches3natural waterway; stream; creek
Be careful, they say there are crocodiles in the canal around here.
3 more examplesShow less
ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanช่วยกันchûuai-ganจับjàpแข้kɛ̂ɛตัวใหญ่dtuua-yàiที่tîiหลุดlùtมาmaaตอนdtɔɔnน้ำท่วมnáam-tûuamได้สำเร็จdâai-sǎm-rèt
The villagers successfully helped each other catch the big crocodile that escaped during the flood.
ถึงtĕungฟาร์มfaamนี้néeจะjàเลี้ยงlíiangแข้kâeไว้wáiเป็นbpenร้อยróiๆ-ตัวdtuuaแต่dtàeระบบป้องกันrá-bòp bpông ganก็gâwแน่นหนาnâen năaมากmâakจนjonไม่ต้องmâi dtôngกลัวว่าgluua wâaมันmanจะjàหลุดออกมาlùt òk maa
Even though this farm keeps hundreds of crocodiles, the protection system is so tight that there's no need to fear they will escape.
ข่าวลือkàao-lʉʉเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangแข้kɛ̂ɛหลุดlùtลงlongแม่น้ำmɛ̂ɛ-náamทำเอาtam-aoชาวบ้านchaao-bâanละแวกlá-wɛ̂ɛkนั้นnánผวาpà-wǎaจนjonไม่mâiกล้าglâaลงไปlong-bpaiหาปลาhǎa-bplaaพักใหญ่pák-yài
The rumor about a crocodile escaping into the river terrified the nearby villagers so much that they didn't dare go down to fish for a long while.
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
kɛ̂ɛ
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 | — | — |