แม่ชี
mɛ̂ɛ-chiiMeaning
1NounB1
Buddhist nun (lay; Thailand)
A woman who takes Buddhist precepts (usually eight or more), wears white, shaves her head, and lives a religious life in Thailand; not fully ordained in the Theravada monastic order.
Examples
ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)วัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoแม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiแม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiBuddhist nun (lay; Thailand)หลายlǎaiหลายlǎai1many; several2very; very much; a lot (Isan)รูปrûupรูปrûup1picture; photo; image2shape; form; figure3physique; body shape4statue; sculpted image; figure5grammatical formที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerโกนgoonโกนgoon[to] shaveศีรษะsǐi-sàศีรษะsǐi-sà1head (body part; formal)2top; tip; end (literary)และlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)นุ่งขาวห่มขาวnûng-kǎao-hòm-kǎaoนุ่งขาวห่มขาวnûng-kǎao-hòm-kǎao1[to] wear all white as a lay Buddhist observance2all‑white attire of lay Buddhist observance
In this temple there are many nuns who shave their heads and wear white.
3 more examplesShow less
แม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiท่านtânหนึ่งnʉ̀ngเล่าlâoว่าwâaเธอtəəถือศีลแปดtʉ̌ʉ-sǐin-bpɛ̀ɛtและlɛ́อาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùuในnaiสำนักปฏิบัติธรรมsǎm-nák-bpà-dtì-bàt-tamมาmaaหลายlǎaiปีbpii
A nun said that she observes the eight precepts and has lived in a meditation center for many years.
ที่tîiงานบุญngaan-bunผู้คนpûu-konมาmaaขอคำแนะนำkɔ̌ɔ-kam-nɛ́-namจากjàakแม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiซึ่งsʉ̂ngมุ่งmûngชีวิตchii-wítทางธรรมtaang-tamแม้mɛ́ɛจะjàไม่ได้mâi-dâaiบวชbùuatแบบbɛ̀ɛpพระภิกษุprá-pík-sù
At the merit-making event, people sought advice from a nun who is devoted to a religious life, even though she is not ordained like a monk.
แม่ชีmâe cheeในnaiไทยtaiมักmákปฏิบัติbpà-dtì-bàtศีลsĭinอย่างเคร่งครัดyàang krêng-krátแต่dtàeมิได้เป็นmí dâi bpenสมณเพศsà-má-ná-pêetเต็มรูปแบบdtem rôop bàepตามdtaamคณะเถรวาทká-ná tăy-rá-wâat
Nuns in Thailand often strictly observe precepts but are not fully ordained in the Theravada order.
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
+
ชีchiiชีchii1maechi; Buddhist nun (Thailand)2Catholic/Christian nun (colloquial)maechi; Buddhist nun (Thailand)Part 2
แม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiแม่ชีmɛ̂ɛ-chiiBuddhist nun (lay; Thailand)Buddhist nun (lay; Thailand)Word