ไพร่
prâiMeanings
1NounB2
commoner/serf (historical, Siam)
A commoner in historical Siam/Thailand, typically under corvée labor or military service obligations to the state or a lord.
Examples
ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)สมัยอยุธยาsà-mǎi-à-yút-tá-yaaสมัยอยุธยาsà-mǎi-à-yút-tá-yaa1Ayutthaya period (Thai history)2Ayutthaya-era; from the Ayutthaya periodไพร่prâiไพร่prâi1commoner/serf (historical, Siam)2low-class; uncouth (derog.)ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toถูกtùukถูกtùuk1cheap; inexpensive2correct; right3to be correct/right4proper; morally right5[to] be affected; suffer (often adverse)6passive marker (often adverse)เกณฑ์geenเกณฑ์geen1criterion; standard; benchmark2threshold; cutoff3[to] draft [sb]; conscript [sb]ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeงานหลวงngaan-lǔuangงานหลวงngaan-lǔuanggovernment work; public serviceตามdtaamตามdtaam1[to] follow; go after2according to; in accordance with3after; behind; in pursuit of4[to] comply with; abide by; obey5along; along (a path); following (direction)ฤดูกาลrʉ́-duu-gaanฤดูกาลrʉ́-duu-gaan1season (time of year)2season (sports/activities)
In the Ayutthaya period, commoners were conscripted for corvée labor seasonally.
3 more examplesShow less
ปู่ทวดbpùu-tûuatของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoเคยkəəiเป็นbpenไพร่prâiต้องdtɔ̂ngสังกัดsǎng-gàtมูลmuunนายnaaiและlɛ́ออกɔ̀ɔkทหารtá-hǎanเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaมีmiiศึกsʉ̀k
His great-grandfather used to be a commoner, bound to a lord and sent to war when there was conflict.
ไพร่prâiในnaiสมัยโบราณsà-mǎi-boo-raanต้องdtɔ̂ngเสียsǐiaแรงงานrɛɛng-ngaanให้hâiรัฐrátแลกกับlɛ̂ɛk-gàpการคุ้มครองgaan-kúm-krɔɔngและlɛ́สิทธิsìt-tíพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎanบางประการbaang-bprà-gaan
Commoners in ancient times had to provide labor to the state in exchange for protection and certain basic rights.
เอกสารèek-gà-sǎanเก่าgàoระบุว่าrá-bù-wâaไพร่prâiหลวงlǔuangต้องdtɔ̂ngขึ้นทะเบียนkʉ̂n-tá-biianและlɛ́เข้าkâoรับราชการráp-râat-chá-gaanตามdtaamกำหนดgam-nòtทุกปีtúk-bpii
Old documents state that royal commoners had to register and perform state service on schedule every year.
2AdjectiveC1
low-class; uncouth (derog.)
Derogatory: describing someone or behavior as vulgar, low-class, or lacking manners.
Examples
อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastพูดจาpûut-jaaพูดจาpûut-jaa[to] speak; talk (how one speaks)ไพร่prâiไพร่prâi1commoner/serf (historical, Siam)2low-class; uncouth (derog.)ใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)พนักงานpá-nák-ngaanพนักงานpá-nák-ngaan1employee; staff member; worker2attendant; clerk (service role)เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerทำงานหนักtam-ngaan-nàkทำงานหนักtam-ngaan-nàk1[to] work hard2[to] be under heavy loadเหมือนmʉ̌ʉanเหมือนmʉ̌ʉan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughเราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)
Don't speak to the staff in a vulgar, low-class way; they work hard just like us.
3 more examplesShow less
พอpɔɔเขาkǎoเมาmaoแล้วก็lɛ́ɛo-gɔ̂เริ่มrə̂əmตะโกนdtà-goonด่าdàaคนอื่นkon-ʉ̀ʉnด้วยdûuaiท่าทีtâa-tiiไพร่prâiจนjonทุกคนtúk-konอึดอัดʉ̀t-àt
Once he got drunk, he started shouting at others in a vulgar, low-class manner, making everyone uncomfortable.
การวิจารณ์gaan wí-jaanกันganด้วยdûuayคำหยาบkam yàapและláeท่าทีtâa-teeไพร่prâiไม่mâiช่วยให้chûuai hâiปัญหาbpan-hăaแก้ได้gâe dâiกลับglàpทำให้tam hâiภาพลักษณ์pâap-pá-lákองค์กรong gonดูdooแย่ลงyâe long
Criticizing each other with crude words and a low-class demeanor doesn’t solve problems; it only worsens the organization’s image.
แม้máeเขาkăoจะjàร่ำรวยrâm ruuayแต่dtàeพฤติกรรมprút-dtì-gamดูถูกdoo tòokคนอื่นkon èunต่อหน้าdtò nâaสาธารณะsăa-taa-rá-náทำให้tam hâiใครkraiๆ-มองว่าmong wâaเป็นbpenคนkonไพร่prâiสิ้นดีsîn dee
Even though he's wealthy, publicly belittling others makes people see him as utterly low-class.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow classConsonant clusterIn the cluster พร, the first consonant พ sets the class.
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
prâi
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
Low class + Mai ek → Falling
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 | — | — |