โหล
hǒonMeanings
1NounA2
dozen (12 items)
a unit equal to twelve.
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillซื้อsʉ́ʉซื้อsʉ́ʉ1[to] buy; purchase2[to] bribe; buy offดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔ1pencil2classifier: แท่งมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerโหลhǒonโหลhǒon1dozen (12 items)2CLF: dozen (12 of ...)3jar; glass jar/container4commonplace; ordinary; cheap (disapproving)5hello? (colloq., on the telephone)หนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremost
He bought one dozen pencils.
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Mom ordered two dozen eggs for making desserts tomorrow.
This shop gives a discount if you buy at least one dozen cookies.
He sells roses by the dozen; customers like it because it’s better value.
2ClassifierA2
CLF: dozen (12 of ...)
classifier used to count items in groups of twelve.
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)ซื้อsʉ́ʉซื้อsʉ́ʉ1[to] buy; purchase2[to] bribe; buy offดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔ1pencil2classifier: แท่งหนึ่งnʉ̀ngหนึ่งnʉ̀ng1one (number)2a; one; a single3a certain; a particular4first; top; foremostโหลhǒonโหลhǒon1dozen (12 items)2CLF: dozen (12 of ...)3jar; glass jar/container4commonplace; ordinary; cheap (disapproving)5hello? (colloq., on the telephone)สำหรับsǎm-ràpสำหรับsǎm-ràp1for; intended for; for the purpose of2as for; regardingชั้นเรียนchán-riianชั้นเรียนchán-riian1class; lesson; course session2class/group of students3class level; grade/year
I bought one dozen pencils for the class.
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แม่mɛ̂ɛสั่งไข่sàng-kàiสองsɔ̌ɔngโหลhǒonไว้wáiกับgàpร้านráanข้างบ้านkâang-bâanพรุ่งนี้prûng-níiจะjàไปbpaiรับráp
Mom ordered two dozen eggs from the shop next door, and will pick them up tomorrow.
This shop sells cookies in packs, each pack containing one dozen.
ถ้าtâaซื้อsʉ́ʉแก้วน้ำgɛ̂ɛo-náamสามsǎamโหลhǒonร้านráanจะjàคิดkítราคาraa-kaaส่งsòngและlɛ́มีmiiของแถมkɔ̌ɔng-tɛ̌ɛmให้hâiด้วยdûuai
If you buy three dozen glasses, the shop will charge the wholesale price and include a freebie.
3NounA2
jar; glass jar/container
a glass jar or container, often with a lid, used for storing food or other items.
Examples
แม่mɛ̂ɛแม่mɛ̂ɛ1mother; mom2form of address for a woman (traditional/familiar)3prefix: female; main; baseใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)คุกกี้kúk-gîiคุกกี้kúk-gîi1cookie; biscuit2web cookie; browser cookieไว้wáiไว้wái1[to] keep; save; store2[to] set aside; reserve3for later; in reserve4[to] leave (something) as is5marks retention or maintenance of a state6[to] wear; sport (hair/moustache/etc.)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)โหลแก้วhǒon-gɛ̂ɛoโหลแก้วhǒon-gɛ̂ɛoglass jarบนbonบนbon1on; upon; in; above2upper; top3[to] vow (at a shrine)โต๊ะdtóโต๊ะdtó1table2desk
Mom put cookies in the glass jar on the table.
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ฉันchǎnชอบchɔ̂ɔpเก็บgèpเหรียญบาทrǐian-bàatไว้wáiในnaiโหลhǒonฝาปิดfǎa-bpìtเพราะprɔ́เห็นhěnจำนวนjam-nuuanได้dâaiชัดchát
I like to keep one-baht coins in a lidded jar because the amount is easy to see.
เราraoซื้อsʉ́ʉโหลแก้วhǒon-gɛ̂ɛoขนาดใหญ่kà-nàat-yàiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเก็บมะนาวgèp-má-naaoและlɛ́เมล็ดกาแฟmá-lét-gaa-fɛɛ
We bought a large glass jar to store lemons and coffee beans.
โหลhǒonใบbaiนี้níiซีลsiinแน่นnɛ̂nเหมาะmɔ̀สำหรับsǎm-ràpเก็บgèpอาหารแห้งaa-hǎan-hɛ̂ɛngให้hâiกรอบgrɔ̀ɔpนานnaan
This jar is tightly sealed, suitable for keeping dry foods crisp for a long time.
4AdjectiveB2
commonplace; ordinary; cheap (disapproving)
Common and lacking distinction, especially of goods made or sold in large quantities; often implying cheapness or inferior quality.
Examples
เสื้อsʉ̂ʉaเสื้อsʉ̂ʉa1shirt; top2jacket; coat3classifier: ตัวลายlaaiลายlaai1pattern; design2marking; stripe; streak3true colors; underlying character4patterned; marked5pattern; design (classifier)6[to] be patterned; show marksวิบวับwíp-wápวิบวับwíp-wáp1sparkling; twinkling; glinting2[to] sparkle; twinkleตัวนั้นdtuua-nánตัวนั้นdtuua-nánthat one [animal, item]ดูduuดูduu1[to] look; watch; see2[to] examine; check; inspect3[to] seem; appear4try; have a go5[to] divine; tell fortuneโหลhǒonโหลhǒon1dozen (12 items)2CLF: dozen (12 of ...)3jar; glass jar/container4commonplace; ordinary; cheap (disapproving)5hello? (colloq., on the telephone)ไปหน่อยbpai-nɔ̀iไปหน่อยbpai-nɔ̀i1a little (farther/over); slightly2a bit (too); somewhat excessiveใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)แล้วlɛ́ɛoแล้วlɛ́ɛo1already; now (as of this point)2then; and then; after that3already; completed-action marker4and; and then (linking clauses)ไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂iไม่ค่อยmâi-kɔ̂i1rarely; seldom; not often2not very; hardly (degree)เข้าทรงkâo-songเข้าทรงkâo-song1[to] be possessed (by a spirit)2[to] act as a spirit medium
That sparkly patterned shirt looks gaudy and doesn’t fit well.
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รองเท้าrɔɔng-táaoคู่kûuนั้นnánสีsǐiสาดsàatมากmâakจนjonดูduuโหลhǒonใส่sàiออกงานɔ̀ɔk-ngaanแล้วlɛ́ɛoเสียsǐiaบุคลิกbùk-ká-lík
Those shoes are so loud in color that they look gaudy and undermine your image at events.
ดีไซน์dii-saaiแบบนี้bɛ̀ɛp-níiมันmanโหลhǒonเกินgəənแถมtɛ̌ɛmวัสดุwát-sà-dùก็gɔ̂ถูกtùukช่างchângดูduuไม่mâiพรีเมียมprii-miiamเอาaoเสียsǐiaเลยləəi
This design is too tacky, and the materials are cheap; it doesn’t look premium at all.
5InterjectionB2
hello? (colloq., on the telephone)
An informal shortened form of ฮัลโหลฮัลโหลhan-hǒon1hello (on the phone)2hey; hello (get attention), used to greet someone or check that they can hear you on the telephone.
Examples
สมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔnสมัยก่อนsà-mǎi-gɔ̀ɔn1formerly; in the past; back then2the old days; former timesพอpɔɔพอpɔɔ1enough; sufficient2enough; sufficiently3[to] suffice; be enough4quite; rather; fairly5as soon as; whenโทรศัพท์too-rá-sàpโทรศัพท์too-rá-sàp1telephone; phone2[to] telephone [sb]; [to] callดังdangดังdang1loud2[to] sound; resound3famous; well-known4as; likeคนไทยkon-taiคนไทยkon-taiThai person; Thai people; Thai nationalบางคนbaang-konบางคนbaang-konsome people; some personsจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)รับสายráp-sǎaiรับสายráp-sǎai[to] answer a call; pick up (the phone)ด้วยdûuaiด้วยdûuai1with; together with2also; too; as well3by; by means of; using4because of; due to5because; since (formal/literary)6request particle; please; tooคำว่าkam-wâaคำว่าkam-wâathe word/term (introductory marker)โหลhǒonโหลhǒon1dozen (12 items)2CLF: dozen (12 of ...)3jar; glass jar/container4commonplace; ordinary; cheap (disapproving)5hello? (colloq., on the telephone)แทนที่จะtɛɛn-tîi-jàแทนที่จะtɛɛn-tîi-jàinstead of; rather thanพูดpûutพูดpûut1[to] speak; talk2[to] say; speak3[to] tell; talk aboutว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeฮัลโหลhan-hǒonฮัลโหลhan-hǒon1hello (on the phone)2hey; hello (get attention)
In the past, when the phone rang, some Thais would answer with 'lo' instead of saying 'hello.'
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ยายyaaiยังyangติดปากdtìt-bpàakรับสายráp-sǎaiว่าwâaโหลhǒonใครkraiพูดpûutเวลาwee-laaมีmiiโทรศัพท์บ้านtoo-rá-sàp-bâanดังdang
Grandma still habitually answers, 'Lo, who's speaking?' when the landline rings.
ในnaiละครlá-kɔɔnย้อนยุคyɔ́ɔn-yúkตัวละครdtuua-lá-kɔɔnมักmákเริ่มrə̂əmบทสนทนาbòt-sǒn-tá-naaทางtaangโทรศัพท์too-rá-sàpด้วยdûuaiคำว่าkam-wâaโหลhǒonเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสะท้อนsà-tɔ́ɔnยุคสมัยyúk-sà-mǎi
In period dramas, characters often begin phone conversations with 'lo' to reflect the era.
บางbaangพื้นที่pʉ́ʉn-tîiยังคงyang-kongใช้cháiคำทักทายkam-ták-taaiทางtaangโทรศัพท์too-rá-sàpว่าwâaโหลhǒonซึ่งsʉ̂ngฟังดูfang-duuเก่าgàoกว่าgwàaฮัลโหลhan-hǒonและlɛ́ต่างจากdtàang-jàakสวัสดีsà-wàt-diiชัดเจนchát-jeen
Some places still use 'lo' as a phone greeting, which sounds older than 'hello' and is clearly different from 'sawasdee.'
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 ล puts this syllable in high class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableA long vowel with no final consonant, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
hǒon
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 | — | — |