แผนไทย

pɛ̌ɛn-tai

Meanings

1AdjectiveB1

Thai traditional (style/system)

relating to traditional Thai systems or methods, especially in health, massage, and medicine (e.g., การแพทย์แผนไทยการแพทย์แผนไทยgaan-pɛ̂ɛt-pɛ̌ɛn-taitraditional Thai medicine, นวดแผนไทยนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taitraditional Thai massage; Thai massage (Nuad Thai))

Examples

ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)อยากyàakอยากyàak1[to] want; desire2to crave; to long forลองlɔɔngลองlɔɔng[to] try; attemptนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taiนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taitraditional Thai massage; Thai massage (Nuad Thai)
I want to try a traditional Thai massage.
3 more examples
คุณย่าkun-yâaของฉันkɔ̌ɔng-chǎnเชื่อchʉ̂ʉaในnaiการแพทย์แผนไทยgaan-pɛ̂ɛt-pɛ̌ɛn-taiมากกว่าmâak-gwàaการgaanแพทย์สมัยใหม่pɛ̂ɛt-sà-mǎi-mài
My grandmother believes in traditional Thai medicine more than modern medicine.
ชาวต่างชาติchaao-dtàang-châatหลายคนlǎai-konมาmaaเมืองไทยmʉʉang-taiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเรียนriianนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taiโดยเฉพาะdooi-chà-pɔ́
Many foreigners come to Thailand specifically to study traditional Thai massage.
รัฐบาลrát-tà-baanกำลังgam-langส่งเสริมsòng-sə̌əmการใช้gaan-cháiยาสมุนไพรyaa-sà-mǔn-praiแผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-taiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaลดlótการพึ่งพาgaan-pʉ̂ng-paaยาyaaจากjàakต่างประเทศdtàang-bprà-têet
The government is promoting the use of traditional Thai herbal medicine to reduce reliance on imported drugs.
2NounB2

Thai traditional medicine/massage (elliptical)

an elliptical noun referencing Thai traditional practices, most commonly Thai traditional medicine or Thai massage, depending on context (e.g., ไปนวดแผนไทย)

Examples

วันเสาร์นี้wan-sǎo-níiวันเสาร์นี้wan-sǎo-níithis Saturdayว่างไหมwâang-mǎiว่างไหมwâang-mǎi[Are you] free?; [Is it] available?ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyแผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-taiแผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-tai1Thai traditional (style/system)2Thai traditional medicine/massage (elliptical)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; earmarkหรือเปล่าrʉ̌ʉ-bplàaoหรือเปล่าrʉ̌ʉ-bplàao1yes–no question particle (“…or not?”)2whether … or not
Are you free this Saturday? Want to go for a Thai massage?
3 more examples
ปวดหลังbpùuat-lǎngจังjangสงสัยsǒng-sǎiต้องdtɔ̂ngไปbpaiจัดjàtแผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-taiสักหน่อยsàk-nɔ̀i
My back really hurts. I think I need to go get a Thai massage.
บางคนbaang-konชอบchɔ̂ɔpนวดน้ำมันnûuat-nám-manแต่dtɛ̀ɛสำหรับsǎm-ràpผมpǒmแล้วlɛ́ɛoผมpǒmเลือกlʉ̂ʉakนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taiตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔt
Some people prefer oil massage, but for me, I always choose Thai traditional massage.
เวลาwee-laaปวดเมื่อยbpùuat-mʉ̂ʉaiกล้ามเนื้อglâam-nʉ́ʉaไม่หายmâi-hǎaiผมpǒmมักจะmák-jàพึ่งpʉ̂ngนวดแผนไทยnûuat-pɛ̌ɛn-taiก่อนgɔ̀ɔnเป็นอันดับแรกbpen-an-dàp-rɛ̂ɛk
When I have persistent muscle aches, I often turn to Thai traditional massage first.

Tones

See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.

2 syllables · pick one to see its rule

How the tone is decided

  1. Consonant classHigh class
  2. Tone markNo tone mark
  3. Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -น, a sonorant, so it is live.

High class consonants

ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห

Result

Rising tone

pɛ̌ɛn

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 classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

Word Breakdown

แผนpɛ̌ɛnแผนpɛ̌ɛn1plan; strategy2scheme; plotplan; strategyPart 1
+
ไทยtaiไทยtai1Thai (language)2Thai; of Thailand3Thai personThai (language)Part 2
แผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-taiแผนไทยpɛ̌ɛn-taiThai traditional (style/system)Thai traditional (style/system)Word