ไกว
gwaiMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] swing; rock; sway (move back and forth)
to swing or move [sth] gently back and forth, e.g., swing a hammock or a swing
Examples
พ่อpôrพ่อpôr1father; dad2sir; mister (rural/archaic)3prefix: male person; leader; father figureไกวgwaiไกวgwai1[to] swing; rock; sway (move back and forth)2[to] scull (propel a boat by swinging an oar)ชิงช้าching cháaชิงช้าching cháaswing (playground)เบาbaoเบาbao1light (not heavy)2soft; quiet (of sound)3gentle; mild; light (degree/force)4easy; light (workload/effort)5[to] urinate (polite euphemism)6[to] lighten; reduce; easeๆ-ให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)ลูกน้อยlôok nóiลูกน้อยlôok nói1baby; little child2young offspringหัวเราะhŭua róหัวเราะhŭua ró1[to] laugh2[to] laugh at; ridiculeคิกคักkík kákคิกคักkík kák1[to] giggle2giggling sound3giggle (onomatopoeia)4with giggles; with light chuckles
Dad gently swung the swing, making the little one giggle.
3 more examplesShow less
ลมโชยlom choyมาmaaไกวgwaiชิงช้าching cháaหน้าบ้านnâa bâanให้hâiแกว่งgwàengช้าcháaๆ-อย่างสม่ำเสมอyàang sà-màm-sà-mĕr
A breeze came and swung the front-yard swing slowly and steadily.
เขาkǎoไกวgwaiเปลbpleeตามdtaamจังหวะjang-wàหัวใจhǔua-jaiของkɔ̌ɔngลูกน้อยlûuk-nɔ́ɔiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiหลับลึกlàp-lʉ́kโดยdooiไม่mâiสะดุ้งsà-dûng
He swung the hammock to the rhythm of his baby's heartbeat to help her sleep deeply without startling.
2VerbB2
[to] scull (propel a boat by swinging an oar)
to propel a boat by swinging an oar back and forth (sculling motion)
Examples
ลุงlungลุงlung1uncle (older brother of either parent)2older man (form of address)3council tree; lofty fig (northern Thai)ใช้cháiใช้chái1[to] use; employ2[to] spend (money); pay; expend3[to] require; take (time/effort/amount)4[to] tell [sb] to do [sth]; assign; orderพายpaaiพายpaai1[to] row; [to] paddle2oar; paddle3pie (loanword)ไกวgwaiไกวgwai1[to] swing; rock; sway (move back and forth)2[to] scull (propel a boat by swinging an oar)เรือreuuaเรือreuuaboat; ship; vesselช้าcháaช้าcháa1slow2slowly3late; delayed4[to] be slow; be lateๆ-ผ่านpàanผ่านpàan1[to] pass (by/through)2[to] pass (succeed/clear)3[to] experience; go through4past; via; throughคลองklongคลองklong1canal2classifier: canals/ditches3natural waterway; stream; creekแคบkâepแคบkâep1narrow2limited; not broad (scope or view)ตอนเช้าdton cháaoตอนเช้าdton cháao1morning (time period)2in the morning
Uncle sculled the boat slowly through the narrow canal in the morning.
3 more examplesShow less
เมื่อmêuuaกระแสลมgrà-săae lomสงบsà-ngòpชาวบ้านchaao bâanต้องdtôngไกวgwaiเรือreuuaเองayngเพื่อpêuuaพาpaaเด็กdèkๆ-ข้ามฟากkâam fâak
When the wind is calm, villagers must scull the boat themselves to ferry the children across.
คนเรือkon-rʉʉaไกวgwaiพายpaaiไปมาbpai-maaด้านdâanท้ายtáaiลำlamอย่างyàangชำนาญcham-naanทำให้tam-hâiเรือrʉʉaเลี้ยวlíiaoได้dâaiโดยdooiไม่ต้องmâi-dtɔ̂ngจ้วงjûuangแรงrɛɛng
The boatman skillfully sculled the oar back and forth at the stern, allowing the boat to turn without heavy strokes.
เธอtəəเรียนรู้riian-rúuการgaanไกวgwaiเรือrʉʉaแบบbɛ̀ɛpพายpaaiเดี่ยวdìiaoตรงdtrongหางhǎangเรือrʉʉaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaควบkûuapคุมทิศทางkum-tít-taangในnaiน้ำตื้นnáam-dtʉ̂ʉnและlɛ́แคบkɛ̂ɛp
She learned to scull with a single oar at the stern to control direction in shallow, narrow waters.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid classConsonant clusterIn the cluster กว, 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
gwai
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 | — | — |