ใจ
jaiMeanings
1NounA2
heart; mind; feelings; spirit
the inner self where emotions, thoughts, will, and spirit reside; the seat of feelings
Examples
วันนี้wan néeวันนี้wan née1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentใจjaiใจjai1heart; mind; feelings; spirit2kindness; compassion; generosity3courage; spirit; morale4intention; will; willingness5core; essence (in compounds)ฉันchănฉันchăn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)มันmanมันman1it (thing/animal)2greasy; oily; fatty3fun; thrilling; highly entertaining4he/she (colloquial, impolite)5starchy tuber; tuberous crop6fat; grease7creamy; rich (texture/taste)เศร้าsâoเศร้าsâosad; sorrowfulๆ-ไม่รู้mâi rúuไม่รู้mâi rúu1[to] not know; be unaware (of); be uncertain2I don't know.ทำไมtam maiทำไมtam mai1why (question word)2why (expressing disbelief/complaint)
Today my heart feels kind of sad; I don’t know why.
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He spoke too harshly, and it made my heart feel down all day.
บางครั้งbaang-krángใจjaiเราraoก็gɔ̂สับสนsàp-sǒnระหว่างrá-wàangสิ่งที่sìng-tîiคิดkítกับgàpสิ่งที่sìng-tîiรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀k
Sometimes our heart gets confused between what we think and what we feel.
2NounB1
kindness; compassion; generosity
moral or emotional quality showing kindness, sympathy, or willingness to help
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillมีน้ำใจmii-náam-jaiมีน้ำใจmii-náam-jaikind; considerate; generousช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]คนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: peopleตกงานdtòk-ngaanตกงานdtòk-ngaan1[to] be unemployed2[to] lose one’s jobเสมอsà-mə̌əเสมอsà-mə̌ə1always; invariably2constantly; habitually3equal; level; even4[to] draw; [to] tie
He is always kind and helps people who are unemployed.
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When she saw the stray dog, she felt inclined to take it in.
คุณครูkun-kruuมีน้ำใจmii-náam-jaiช่วยchûuaiอธิบายà-tí-baaiให้hâiเด็กdèkที่tîiเรียนriianช้าcháaจนjonเข้าใจkâo-jai
The teacher is kind and explains until the slower learners understand.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàยุ่งyûngมากmâakเขาkǎoยังyangมีน้ำใจmii-náam-jaiอาสาช่วยaa-sǎa-chûuaiงานngaanชุมชนchum-chonหลังเลิกงานlǎng-lə̂ək-ngaan
Even though he is very busy, he still kindly volunteers to help with community work after work.
3NounB1
courage; spirit; morale
emotional strength, bravery, or overall spirit (e.g., ใจสู้ใจสู้jai-sûudetermined; resilient = brave-hearted)
Examples
เขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillมีใจmee jaiมีใจmee jai1[to] have a crush on; be into [sb]2[to] be willing; be inclinedสู้sôoสู้sôo1[to] fight; struggle2keep going!; fight on! (encouragement)3[to] compete; contend (against)4[to] withstand; cope with; afford5[to] match; compare with; equalไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)ยอมแพ้yom páeยอมแพ้yom páe1[to] surrender; give up2[to] quit tryingง่ายngâaiง่ายngâai1easy; simple2easily; readilyๆ-
He has a fighting spirit and doesn’t give up easily.
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Even when facing big problems, she keeps her spirit strong.
The coach told the team they need to have more of a warrior’s spirit.
เขาkăoผ่านpàanเรื่องrêuuangหนักnàkๆ-มาmaaเยอะyéhจึงjeungมีใจmee jaiแกร่งgràengและláeไม่หวั่นไหวmâi wàn wăiกับgàpคำวิจารณ์kam wí-jaan
He has gone through many hardships, so he has a strong heart and is unfazed by criticism.
4NounB2
intention; will; willingness
a person's purpose, resolve, or readiness to do something
Examples
ถ้าtâaถ้าtâaif; in caseเธอtəəเธอtəə1you (informal; familiar)2she; herมีใจmii-jaiมีใจmii-jai1[to] have a crush on; be into [sb]2[to] be willing; be inclinedจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ช่วยchûuaiช่วยchûuai1[to] help; assist [sb/sth]2please (request marker)3[to] save; rescue [sb]เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerเริ่มงานrə̂əm-ngaanเริ่มงานrə̂əm-ngaan1[to] start work; [to] begin one's shift2[to] start a new job (commence employment)3[to] start an event or ceremonyนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ได้เลยdâai-ləəiได้เลยdâai-ləəi1sure; okay; go ahead2can … right away; may … now
If you have the willingness to help, we can start this task right away.
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ผมpǒmตั้งใจdtâng-jaiจะjàกลับไปglàp-bpaiเรียนต่อriian-dtɔ̀ɔและlɛ́รวบรวมrûuap-ruuamใจjaiให้hâiจบjòpภายในpaai-naiสองsɔ̌ɔngปีbpii
I intend to return to my studies and muster the resolve to finish within two years.
แม้mɛ́ɛงานngaanจะjàหนักnàkแต่dtɛ̀ɛเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂มีใจmii-jaiรับผิดชอบráp-pìt-chɔ̂ɔpและlɛ́พร้อมprɔ́ɔmลุยluiต่อdtɔ̀ɔ
Even though the work is heavy, he has the resolve to take responsibility and is ready to push on.
ถ้าtâaไม่มีmâi-miiใจjaiจะjàเปลี่ยนแปลงbplìian-bplɛɛngต่อให้dtɔ̀ɔ-hâiมีmiiแผนpɛ̌ɛnดีdiiแค่ไหนkɛ̂ɛ-nǎiก็gɔ̂ไม่mâiเกิดผลgə̀ət-pǒn
If there is no resolve to change, no matter how good the plan is, it won’t yield results.
5NounB2
core; essence (in compounds)
the central part or essence when used in compounds (e.g., ใจความใจความjai-kwaammain idea; gist = main point)
Examples
สรุปsà-rùpสรุปsà-rùp1summary2[to] summarize; conclude3in summary; to sum upใจความjai-kwaamใจความjai-kwaammain idea; gistของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsบทความbòt-kwaamบทความbòt-kwaamarticle; essayนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)คือkʉʉคือkʉʉ1to be (definition/identification)2namely; that is; i.e.การอนุรักษ์gaan-à-nú-rákการอนุรักษ์gaan-à-nú-rák1conservation; preservation2resource/energy conservationป่าชายเลนbpàa-chaai-leenป่าชายเลนbpàa-chaai-leenmangrove forest
The main point of this article is the conservation of mangrove forests.
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The teacher told us to grasp the key point from this line.
แม้mɛ́ɛเนื้อหาnʉ́ʉa-hǎaจะjàยาวyaaoแต่dtɛ̀ɛใจความjai-kwaamที่tîiผู้เขียนpûu-kǐianต้องการdtɔ̂ng-gaanสื่อsʉ̀ʉมีmiiเพียงpiiangไม่กี่mâi-gìiประเด็นbprà-den
Although the content is lengthy, the core points the author wants to convey are only a few.
ถ้าtâaตัดdtàtรายละเอียดraai-lá-ìiatออกɔ̀ɔkเหลือใจlʉ̌ʉa-jaiความkwaamว่าwâaโครงการkroong-gaanต้องdtɔ̂ngปรับbpràpกลยุทธ์gon-lá-yútทันทีtan-tii
If we strip away the details, the essence is that the project must adjust its strategy immediately.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ใ hides a final -ย, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
jai
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |