แม่อุ๊ย
mɛ̂ɛ-úiMeanings
1NounB2
grandmother (N. Thai)
grandmother; used especially in Northern Thai
Examples
วันหยุดwan-yùtวันหยุดwan-yùt1day off; rest day2public holiday3regular closing day (of a shop/business)นี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)3like; as (in the manner of)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)กลับบ้านglàp-bâanกลับบ้านglàp-bâan[to] go (back) home; return homeที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerเชียงใหม่chiiang-màiเชียงใหม่chiiang-mài1Chiang Mai (city in northern Thailand)2Chiang Mai Provinceไปเยี่ยมbpai-yîiamไปเยี่ยมbpai-yîiam1[to] visit [sb] (showing care)2[to] visit [a place] (inspect/attend)แม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úiแม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úi1grandmother (N. Thai)2elderly woman (honorific, N. Thai)
This holiday, I'm going back home to Chiang Mai to visit my grandmother.
3 more examplesShow less
I love eating my grandmother's recipe for Hang Lay curry the most.
ตอนเด็กๆdton dèk-dèkแม่อุ๊ยmâe úiของฉันkŏng chănมักจะmák jàเล่าlâoนิทานพื้นบ้านní-taan péun bâanให้hâiฟังfangก่อนนอนgòn nonเสมอsà-mĕr
When I was little, my grandmother would always tell me local folktales before bed.
ถึงแม้tĕung máeแม่อุ๊ยmâe úiจะjàอายุมากàa-yú mâakแล้วláeoแต่dtàeท่านtâanก็gâwยังyangแข็งแรงkăeng raengและláeจำjamเรื่องราวrêuuang raaoเก่าๆgào gàoได้dâiแม่นยำmâen yam
Even though my grandmother is very old, she is still strong and remembers old stories accurately.
2NounB2
elderly woman (honorific, N. Thai)
a respectful form of address for an elderly woman in Northern Thai speech
Examples
แม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úiแม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úi1grandmother (N. Thai)2elderly woman (honorific, N. Thai)ครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)ตลาดสดdtà-làat-sòtตลาดสดdtà-làat-sòtfresh food marketไปทางไหนbpai-taang-nǎiไปทางไหนbpai-taang-nǎiwhich way?ครับkrápครับkráppolite particle (male speaker)
(Respectfully addressing an elderly woman) Ma'am, which way is the fresh market?
3 more examplesShow less
I saw the elderly lady carrying heavy things, so I went to help her.
ที่tîiกาดหลวงgàat-lǔuangผมpǒmได้dâaiคุยkuiกับgàpแม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úiคนหนึ่งkon-nʉ̀ngที่tîiขายkǎaiผักpàkพื้นบ้านpʉ́ʉn-bâanท่านtânใจดีjai-diiและlɛ́สอนsɔ̌ɔnวิธีwí-tiiทำอาหารtam-aa-hǎanให้hâiด้วยdûuai
At Kad Luang market, I talked with an elderly woman who sells local vegetables. She was kind and even taught me how to cook.
รอยยิ้มrɔɔi-yímของkɔ̌ɔngแม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úiที่นั่งtîi-nângสานsǎanตะกร้าdtà-grâaอยู่yùuใต้ถุนบ้านdtâai-tǔn-bâanทำให้tam-hâiรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀kอบอุ่นใจòp-ùn-jaiอย่างyàangบอกbɔ̀ɔkไม่mâiถูกtùuk
The smile of the old woman sitting and weaving baskets under her house gave me an indescribably warm feeling.
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
+
อุ๊ยúiอุ๊ยúi1oops; oh! (surprise/mild shock)2ouch; ow3grandparent; elderly person (Northern Thai)oops; oh! (surprise/mild shock)Part 2
แม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úiแม่อุ๊ยmɛ̂ɛ-úigrandmother (N. Thai)grandmother (N. Thai)Word