โหย
hǒoiMeanings
1InterjectionA2
whoa; wow (expressing amazement or longing)
An exclamation showing strong feeling such as amazement, admiration, envy, or yearning.
Examples
โหยhǒoiโหยhǒoi1whoa; wow (expressing amazement or longing)2plaintive; drawn-out (sound/voice)3[to] yearn; [to] long forบ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลังนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)สวยมากsǔuai-mâakสวยมากsǔuai-mâakvery beautiful; gorgeous
Wow, this house is so beautiful.
3 more examplesShow less
Whoa, this collection is really rare—I'm jealous.
Wow, you got to watch the concert right by the stage? That's great.
โหยhǒoiแพลนplɛɛnเที่ยวtîiaoของkɔ̌ɔngเธอtəəน่าไปnâa-bpaiมากmâakเห็นhěnแล้วlɛ́ɛoอยากyàakลาlaaไปด้วยbpai-dûuaiเลยləəi
Wow, your travel plan looks amazing—it makes me want to take leave and join.
2AdjectiveB2
plaintive; drawn-out (sound/voice)
Describing a thin, drawn-out sound or voice that conveys longing, sadness, or weariness.
Examples
เสียงร้องsǐiang-rɔ́ɔngเสียงร้องsǐiang-rɔ́ɔng1a cry; call; wail2singing voice; vocalsเพลงpleengเพลงpleeng1song; musical piece2classifier: songs/piecesของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsเธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herฟังfangฟังfang1listen2heed3[to] sound; seem (to the ear)โหยhǒoiโหยhǒoi1whoa; wow (expressing amazement or longing)2plaintive; drawn-out (sound/voice)3[to] yearn; [to] long forและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)เศร้าsâoเศร้าsâosad; sorrowfulจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: peopleทั้งtángทั้งtáng1whole; entire2all3both4altogether; entirelyห้องhɔ̂ngห้องhɔ̂ng1room2classifier: roomsเงียบngîiapเงียบngîiap1quiet; silent2quiet (place/time)3[to] be quiet; fall silent4[to] go silent; stop respondingลงlongลงlong1[to] go down; descend2[to] get off (vehicle)3down; downstream4[to] put; apply; record5[to] decrease; go down6[to] land; alight
Her singing sounded drawn-out and sad, making the whole room fall silent.
3 more examplesShow less
He spoke in a thin, weary tone.
เสียงขลุ่ยsǐiang-klùiลอยlɔɔiโหยhǒoiเหนือnʉ̌ʉaทุ่งกว้างtûng-gwâangชวนให้chuuan-hâiคิดkítถึงบ้านtʉ̌ng-bâan
The flute’s sound drifted thin and plaintive over the fields, evoking homesickness.
บทสวดbòt-sùuatทุ้มต่ำtúm-dtàmและlɛ́โหยhǒoiของkɔ̌ɔngคณะká-náนักร้องnák-rɔ́ɔngทำให้tam-hâiบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatหม่นmònลึกlʉ́kขึ้นkʉ̂n
The choir’s low, plaintive chant deepened the somber atmosphere.
3VerbB2
[to] yearn; [to] long for
To feel a strong, wistful longing for someone or something.
Examples
หลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: building; house; structureย้ายyáaiย้ายyáai1[to] move; relocate2[to] move house3[to] transfer (jobs; schools; departments)เมืองmʉʉangเมืองmʉʉang1city; town; urban area2country; state; nation3region; realm (historical)มาใหม่maa-màiมาใหม่maa-mài1newly arrived; new2[to] come again; come back another timeเธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herโหยหาhǒoi-hǎaโหยหาhǒoi-hǎa[to] long for; yearn for; craveบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàat1atmosphere; ambience2atmosphere (gaseous envelope)บ้านเกิดbâan-gə̀ətบ้านเกิดbâan-gə̀ətbirthplace; hometownอยู่เสมอyùu-sà-mə̌əอยู่เสมอyùu-sà-mə̌ə1always; invariably2regularly; habitually
After moving to a new city, she constantly yearns for the atmosphere of her hometown.
3 more examplesShow less
ในnaiคืนkeunเงียบngîiapๆ-เขาkăoโหยหาhŏi hăaความอบอุ่นkwaam òp ùnของkŏngครอบครัวkrôp kruuaที่têeจากมาjàak maa
On quiet nights, he longs for the warmth of the family he left behind.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàประสบความสำเร็จbprà-sòp-kwaam-sǎm-rètในnaiงานngaanเธอtəəยังyangโหยhǒoiความหมายkwaam-mǎaiของkɔ̌ɔngชีวิตchii-wítที่tîiลึกซึ้งlʉ́k-sʉ́ngกว่านั้นgwàa-nán
Even with career success, she still yearns for a deeper meaning in life.
เสียงเพลงsǐiang-pleengทำtamให้ใจhâi-jaiฉันchǎnโหยhǒoiช่วงเวลาchûuang-wee-laaที่tîiไม่อาจmâi-àatย้อนคืนyɔ́ɔn-kʉʉnความทรงจำkwaam-song-jamจึงjʉngกลายเป็นglaai-bpenที่พึ่งtîi-pʉ̂ngเดียวdiiao
The music makes my heart yearn for irretrievable times, leaving memories as the only refuge.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classHigh classLeading หA silent ห before ย puts this syllable in high class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableEnds in -ย, a sonorant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
hǒoi
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 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 | — | — |