แม่ครู
mɛ̂ɛ-kruuMeanings
1NounA2
female teacher; teacher (respectful form)
A respectful term or title for a teacher, often female, used in address or before a name.
Examples
นักเรียนnák-riianนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupilยกมือyók-mʉʉยกมือyók-mʉʉ[to] raise one's handไหว้wâiไหว้wâi1[to] wai; pay respect with palms together2wai (gesture)แล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)กล่าวว่าglàao-wâaกล่าวว่าglàao-wâa[to] say that; state thatสวัสดีsà-wàt-diiสวัสดีsà-wàt-diihello; hi; goodbyeค่ะkâค่ะkâ1polite particle (female, statement)2polite particle (female, short response)แม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruu1female teacher; teacher (respectful form)2master teacher (honorific, often female)
The student raised her hands in a wai and said, “Hello, Ma’am Teacher.”
3 more examplesShow less
Tomorrow I will bring my homework for Teacher (Ma'am) to check.
ในnaiชั้นเรียนchán-riianดนตรีdon-dtriiเราraoเรียกrîiakท่านtânว่าwâaแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuตามธรรมเนียมdtaam-tam-niiam
In the music class, we address her as ‘Mae Khru’ according to tradition.
นักเรียนnák-riianฝากfàakดอกไม้dɔ̀ɔk-máaiไว้wáiที่tîiโต๊ะdtóแล้วlɛ́ɛoเขียนkǐianการ์ดgáatถึงtʉ̌ngแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaขอบคุณkɔ̀ɔp-kunที่tîiสอนsɔ̌ɔnมาตลอดmaa-dtà-lɔ̀ɔtปีbpii
The students left flowers on the desk and wrote a card to ‘Mae Khru’ to thank her for teaching throughout the year.
2NounB2
master teacher (honorific, often female)
An honorific for a senior or highly respected teacher, often female, especially in traditional arts, dance, or music.
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentเราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ไปกราบbpai-gràapไปกราบbpai-gràap[to] go (and) pay deep respects [to sb/sth] (by prostrating)แม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruu1female teacher; teacher (respectful form)2master teacher (honorific, often female)ระบำrá-bamระบำrá-bamclassical dance; dance performance (Thai)ก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; formerเริ่มrə̂əmเริ่มrə̂əm1[to] start; begin2[to] start to; begin toซ้อมsɔ́ɔmซ้อมsɔ́ɔm1[to] practice; train2[to] rehearse3[to] drill; run drills4[to] beat up; assault
Today we will pay respects to the master teacher of dance before practice starts.
3 more examplesShow less
The students all call her Mae Khru with respect.
แม่mâeครูสอนkruu sŏnให้เราhâi raoเข้าใจkâo jaiจังหวะกลองjang-wà glongแบบโบราณbàep boh-raanและláeวิธีwí-teeส่งต่อsòng dtòให้hâiรุ่นน้องrûn nóng
Mae Khru teaches us to understand traditional drum rhythms and how to pass them on to juniors.
ในnaiพิธีไหว้ครูpí-tii-wâi-kruuดนตรีไทยdon-dtrii-taiศิษย์sìtทุกคนtúk-konถวายtà-wǎaiพวงมาลัยpuuang-maa-laiแก่gɛ̀ɛแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaแสดงsà-dɛɛngความกตัญญูkwaam-gà-dtan-yuu
At the Thai music teacher-honoring ceremony, all students present garlands to Mae Khru to show gratitude.
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
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
mɛ̂ɛ
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → 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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; basemother; momPart 1
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แม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruuแม่ครูmɛ̂ɛ-kruufemale teacher; teacher (respectful form)female teacher; teacher (respectful form)Word