ไกล
glaiMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
far; distant
At a long distance in space; not near.
Examples
บ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลัง5domestic; domesticated; cultivatedฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)อยู่yùuอยู่yùu1[to] live; reside; stay2to be (located); be at3progressive/continuative marker4to exist; remainไกลglaiไกลglai1far; distant2far; to a distant place3far (in time/relationship); distantจากjàakจากjàak1from; away from2[to] leave; depart; part from3nipa palmโรงเรียนroong-riianโรงเรียนroong-riian1school (institution)2school (building)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
My house is very far from the school.
3 more examplesShow less
That shop is far; walking there isn’t doable.
We didn’t go to the beach yesterday because it was too far.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiอย่าลืมyàa-lʉʉmเผื่อpʉ̀ʉaเวลาwee-laaเดินทางdəən-taangนะnáที่ประชุมtîi-bprà-chumอยู่yùuไกลglaiจากjàakตัวเมืองdtuua-mʉʉang
Don’t forget to allow travel time tomorrow; the meeting is far from the city center.
2AdverbA2
far; to a distant place
To or at a distant place; used with verbs of movement or location.
Examples
เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)เดินไปdəən-bpaiเดินไปdəən-bpai[to] walk to [somewhere]ไกลglaiไกลglai1far; distant2far; to a distant place3far (in time/relationship); distantจากjàakจากjàak1from; away from2[to] leave; depart; part from3nipa palmหมู่บ้านmùu-bâanหมู่บ้านmùu-bâan1village; hamlet2housing estate; gated community
We walked far away from the village.
3 more examplesShow less
Tomorrow I will drive far, all the way to the sea.
Yesterday we left the city and went far, all the way to the edge of the forest.
เขาkǎoย้ายไปอยู่yáai-bpai-yùuไกลglaiจากjàakตัวเมืองdtuua-mʉʉangทำให้tam-hâiต้องdtɔ̂ngนั่งรถนานnâng-rót-naanกว่าจะgwàa-jàถึงtʉ̌ngที่ทำงานtîi-tam-ngaan
He moved to live far from downtown, so it takes a long ride to reach his workplace.
3AdjectiveB1
far (in time/relationship); distant
Separated by a long time or not closely connected in relation or feeling; distant in time or relationship.
Examples
เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)เรียนriianเรียนriian1[to] study; learn2[to] take (a course/subject)3[to] respectfully inform; address (formal)คนละkon-láคนละkon-lá1each; per person2apiece; each; per person3separate; different (for each)รุ่นrûnรุ่นrûn1model; version2generation; age cohort3class year; intake; batch4seniority level; age groupกันganกันgan1together; together with2each other; one another (post-verb marker)3[to] prevent; keep [sth] out; ward off; block4protective; resistant to; -proof5I; me (informal, male speech)6[to] set aside; reserve; earmarkเลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀kรู้สึกrúu-sʉ̀k1[to] feel; sense2[to] feel that…; think (impression/opinion)ไกลglaiไกลglai1far; distant2far; to a distant place3far (in time/relationship); distantกันganกันgan1together; together with2each other; one another (post-verb marker)3[to] prevent; keep [sth] out; ward off; block4protective; resistant to; -proof5I; me (informal, male speech)6[to] set aside; reserve; earmarkมากขึ้นmâak-kʉ̂nมากขึ้นmâak-kʉ̂n1more; increasingly2greater; more (than before)
We studied in different cohorts, so we feel more distant from each other.
3 more examplesShow less
ตั้งแต่dtâng-dtɛ̀ɛย้ายyáaiงานngaanไปbpaiคนละkon-láที่tîiความสัมพันธ์kwaam-sǎm-panของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoก็gɔ̂ดูduuไกลglaiขึ้นkʉ̂nทุกวันtúk-wan
Ever since we moved to different workplaces, our relationship has felt more distant each day.
ผ่านpàanเหตุการณ์hèet-gaanนั้นnánมาmaaเราraoกับgàpพ่อpɔ̂ɔคุยกันkui-ganน้อยลงnɔ́ɔi-longและlɛ́เหมือนmʉ̌ʉanไกลglaiกันganทางใจtaang-jai
After that incident, my father and I talked less and felt emotionally distant.
แม้mɛ́ɛจะjàอยู่yùuบ้านbâanเดียวกันdiiao-ganแต่dtɛ̀ɛความคิดkwaam-kítและlɛ́ความฝันkwaam-fǎnของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoกลับglàpไกลglaiกันganราวraaoคนละkon-láโลกlôok
Even though we live in the same house, our thoughts and dreams are distant as if from different worlds.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid classConsonant clusterIn the cluster กล, the first consonant ก sets the class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ไ hides a final -ย, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
glai
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 | — | — |