ไฟ
faiMeanings
1NounA1
fire; flame
burning flames that produce heat and light
Examples
ไฟfaiไฟfai1fire; flame2electricity; power3light (from a lamp)4signal light; indicator5anger; passion (figurative)ลุกlúkลุกlúk1[to] get up; rise (from sitting/lying)2[to] burn; blaze; flare upจากjàakจากjàak1from; away from2[to] leave; depart; part from3nipa palmเตาdtaoเตาdtao1stove; cooker2furnace; kiln; ovenแรงมากrɛɛng-mâakแรงมากrɛɛng-mâak1very strong; intense2intense; harsh
The fire from the stove is blazing strongly.
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Last night a fire burned the house next door; luckily no one was hurt.
We built a fire in front of the tent to keep warm and cook food.
2NounA2
electricity; power
electrical power used for lighting and operating devices (e.g., the power supply to a building)
Examples
บ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลังนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ไม่มีmâi-miiไม่มีmâi-mii1to not have; lack2there is/are not; does/do not exist3[reply] we don't have it; out of stockไฟfaiไฟfai1fire; flame2electricity; power3light (from a lamp)4signal light; indicator5anger; passion (figurative)ตอนกลางคืนdtɔɔn-glaang-kʉʉnตอนกลางคืนdtɔɔn-glaang-kʉʉn1at night; during the night2nighttime; the night period
This house has no electricity at night.
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Yesterday the power went out in the whole village, so we used candles.
If you don’t pay the electricity bill on time, they may temporarily cut the power.
อาคารสำนักงานaa-kaan-sǎm-nák-ngaanมีไฟmii-faiสำรองsǎm-rɔɔngจากjàakเครื่องปั่นไฟkrʉ̂ʉang-bpàn-faiเมื่อmʉ̂ʉaไฟfaiหลวงlǔuangขัดข้องkàt-kɔ̂ɔng
The office building has backup power from a generator when the main electricity fails.
3NounA2
light (from a lamp)
artificial light from lamps, bulbs, or lighting fixtures
Examples
ห้องนี้hɔ̂ng-níiห้องนี้hɔ̂ng-níithis roomมืดmʉ̂ʉtมืดmʉ̂ʉt1dark; lacking light2after dark; late3[to] get dark; become dark4gloomy; obscure (figurative)เปิดไฟbpə̀ət-faiเปิดไฟbpə̀ət-fai[to] turn on the light; [to] turn on the lightsหน่อยnɔ̀iหน่อยnɔ̀i1a little; a bit2polite softener (request)
This room is dark; turn on the light.
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เมื่อวานmʉ̂ʉa-waanฉันchǎnเปลี่ยนหลอดไฟbplìian-lɔ̀ɔt-faiใหม่màiเพราะprɔ́ไฟfaiเดิมdəəmสลัวsà-lǔuaมากmâak
Yesterday I changed to a new bulb because the old light was very dim.
ถ้าtâaจะjàอ่านหนังสือàan-nǎng-sʉ̌ʉก่อนนอนgɔ̀ɔn-nɔɔnควรkuuanปรับbpràpไฟfaiให้hâiอ่อนลงɔ̀ɔn-longเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiล้าláaตาdtaa
If you’re going to read before bed, you should dim the light to avoid eye strain.
ห้องประชุมhɔ̂ng-bprà-chumติดตั้งdtìt-dtângไฟfaiแบบbɛ̀ɛpวอร์มไวต์wɔɔm-wáiเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiบรรยากาศban-yaa-gàatผ่อนคลายpɔ̀ɔn-klaaiแต่ยังdtɛ̀ɛ-yangมองเห็นmɔɔng-hěnชัดchát
The meeting room is fitted with warm white lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere while still being clear to see.
4NounB1
signal light; indicator
a light used as a signal or indicator, such as a traffic light or warning light
Examples
ไฟแดงfai-dɛɛngไฟแดงfai-dɛɛng1red traffic light2menstruation; period3[to] hit a red lightหน้าปากซอยnâa-bpàak-sɔɔiหน้าปากซอยnâa-bpàak-sɔɔientrance of an alleyเสียsǐiaเสียsǐia1broken; out of order2spoiled; ruined; gone bad3[to] pay4[to] lose; forfeit; waste5[to] die; pass away6particle marking emphasis, completion, or decisivenessทำให้tam-hâiทำให้tam-hâi1[to] make; cause [sb/sth] to [do/be sth]; render2[to] do/make [sth] for [sb]รถติดrót-dtìtรถติดrót-dtìt1traffic jam; congestion2[to] have heavy traffic; be congestedยาวyaaoยาวyaao1long (length)2long (duration)3[to] grow long; become longerทั้งเช้าtáng-cháoทั้งเช้าtáng-cháoall morning; the whole morning
The red light at the alley entrance was out, causing a long traffic jam all morning.
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ถ้าtâaไฟเตือนfai-dtʉʉanแบตเตอรี่bɛ̀t-dtəə-rîiขึ้นkʉ̂nบนbonแผงหน้าปัดpɛ̌ɛng-nâa-bpàtคุณควรkun-kuuanเลี้ยวlíiaoเข้าจอดkâo-jɔ̀ɔtทันทีtan-tii
If the battery warning light comes on the dashboard, you should pull over immediately.
ตำรวจdtam-rùuatโบกbòokให้hâiหยุดyùtเพราะprɔ́ไฟสัญญาณfai-sǎn-yaanทางม้าลายtaang-máa-laaiกำลังgam-langเปลี่ยนเป็นbplìian-bpenสีแดงsǐi-dɛɛng
The police waved us to stop because the pedestrian crossing signal was turning red.
เครื่องจักรkrêuuang jàkถูกtòokสั่งsàngหยุดyùtอัตโนมัติàt-noh-mátเมื่อmêuuaไฟfaiแจ้งเตือนjâeng dteuuanความดันkwaam danเกินgernกระพริบgrà-prípขึ้นkêunหลายlăaiครั้งkráng
The machine was automatically shut down when the overpressure warning light flashed several times.
5NounB2
anger; passion (figurative)
intense emotion such as anger, zeal, or passion, likened to fire
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillมีไฟmii-faiมีไฟmii-fai1[to] have electricity (power)2[to] have a light (for a cigarette)3[to] be motivated; [to] be passionateในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)การเรียนgaan-riianการเรียนgaan-riian1studying; learning2schooling; education (as a course of study)มากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerousจนjonจนjon1poor2until; up to3so ... that; to the point ofอ่านหนังสือàan-nǎng-sʉ̌ʉอ่านหนังสือàan-nǎng-sʉ̌ʉ[to] read; [to] studyทุกคืนtúk-kʉʉnทุกคืนtúk-kʉʉnevery night
He has so much drive for studying that he reads every night.
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หลังlǎngถูกtùukตำหนิdtam-nìเธอtəəมีไฟmii-faiอยากyàakพิสูจน์pí-sùutตัวเองdtuua-eengให้hâiทุกคนtúk-konเห็นhěn
After being criticized, she burned with the desire to prove herself to everyone.
คำพูดkam-pûutดูถูกduu-tùukของkɔ̌ɔngคู่แข่งkûu-kɛ̀ngจุดไฟjùt-faiในใจnai-jaiทีมtiimทำให้tam-hâiเล่นlênได้dâaiเหนือความคาดหมายnʉ̌ʉa-kwaam-kâat-mǎai
The rival’s insults ignited a fire in the team, making them perform beyond expectations.
แม้mɛ́ɛล้มเหลวlóm-lěeoหลายlǎaiครั้งkrángเขาkǎoยังyangรักษาไฟrák-sǎa-faiในnaiงานวิจัยngaan-wí-jaiไม่mâiยอมyɔɔmถอดใจtɔ̀ɔt-jai
Even after many failures, he kept the fire for his research and refused to give up.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ไ hides a final -ย, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
fai
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low 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 | — | — |