ไม้
máaiMeanings
1NounA1
wood; timber
the hard material from trees used as a building or crafting material
Examples
บ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลังหลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: building; house; structureนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ทำจากtam-jàakทำจากtam-jàak1[to] be made of/from [sth]2[to] make [sth] from [sth]ไม้máaiไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implementทั้งtángทั้งtáng1whole; entire2all3both4altogether; entirelyหลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: building; house; structure
This house is made entirely of wood.
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My wooden table is very sturdy.
The craftsman used high-quality wood to make the door.
We keep dry wood to repair the backyard fence.
2NounA2
stick; rod; club; bat
a piece of wood shaped into a stick, rod, club, or bat used as a tool or for striking
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillถือtʉ̌ʉถือtʉ̌ʉ1[to] hold; carry (by hand)2[to] regard; consider; deem3[to] observe; keep (rules, precepts, fast)4[to] be strict/particular aboutไม้máaiไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implementเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเพื่อpʉ̂ʉa1for; in order to2for the sake of; on behalf ofป้องกันตัวbpɔ̂ng-gan-dtuuaป้องกันตัวbpɔ̂ng-gan-dtuua[to] defend/protect oneself
He holds a stick to protect himself.
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Yesterday I used a bat to hit the ball with friends.
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiครูkruuจะjàสอนsɔ̌ɔnวิธีwí-tiiจับjàpไม้máaiให้hâiถูกท่าtùuk-tâaในnaiการซ้อมgaan-sɔ́ɔm
Tomorrow the coach will teach the correct way to hold the stick during practice.
ระหว่างrá-wàangการแสดงgaan-sà-dɛɛngกลองยาวglɔɔng-yaaoถูกtùukตีdtiiด้วยdûuaiไม้máaiจังหวะjang-wàเดียวกันdiiao-ganทำให้tam-hâiผู้ชมpûu-chomรู้สึกตื่นเต้นrúu-sʉ̀k-dtʉ̀ʉn-dtên
During the performance, the long drums were struck with sticks in unison, exciting the audience.
3ClassifierA2
classifier: skewers of food
a classifier for food sold or served on sticks or skewers, such as grilled meatballs or satay
Examples
ฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔดินสอdin-sɔ̌ɔ1pencil2classifier: แท่งสองsɔ̌ɔngสองsɔ̌ɔng1two; 22secondไม้máaiไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implement
I have two pencils.
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Yesterday he bought one broom.
The referee knocked the wooden clapper to signal the start of the match.
4NounB2
tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)
a mark used in Thai writing, especially tone marks and certain diacritics, collectively called ‘ไม้ไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implement’
Examples
เวลาwee-laaเวลาwee-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesเขียนkǐianเขียนkǐian1[to] write2[to] draw; sketch3[to] fill out; write in4[to] compose; author5[to] write (data); burn (a disc)คำkamคำkam1word; term2classifier for words/utterances3speech; saying; utteranceนี้níiนี้níi1this (near speaker)2this one3this; the present (time/topic)ต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toใส่sàiใส่sài1[to] put in; [to] add2[to] wear; [to] put on3[to] include; [to] insert (data, settings)4[to] attack; [to] go at (colloq.)ไม้máaiไม้máai1wood; timber2stick; rod; club; bat3classifier: skewers of food4tone/diacritic mark (Thai orthography)5tool; implementโทtooโทtoo1master’s degree level; graduate (M.A./M.S.)2Thai tone name (falling tone)3second; secondary4second class; second rankให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3[to] have [sb] do; cause to4for (benefit of)5so that; in order to6until; to the point that (result)ถูกตำแหน่งtùuk-dtam-nɛ̀ngถูกตำแหน่งtùuk-dtam-nɛ̀ngin the correct positionไม่อย่างนั้นmâi-yàang-nánไม่อย่างนั้นmâi-yàang-nánotherwise; if not; or elseเสียงsǐiangเสียงsǐiang1sound; noise2voice3vote4tone; timbre5phonetic toneจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เพี้ยนpíianเพี้ยนpíian1out of tune; off-key2eccentric; odd; kooky (informal)3distorted; inaccurate4[to] deviate; be distorted
When writing this word, you must put the mai tho in the correct position; otherwise, the tone will be off.
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ครูkruuอธิบายà-tí-baaiว่าwâaไม้máaiทั้งสี่táng-sìiในnaiภาษาไทยpaa-sǎa-taiกำหนดgam-nòtระดับrá-dàpวรรณยุกต์wan-ná-yúkของkɔ̌ɔngพยางค์pá-yaang
The teacher explained that the four 'mai' in Thai determine a syllable’s tone.
โปรดbpròotตรวจทานdtrùuat-taanต้นฉบับdtôn-chà-bàpว่าใส่wâa-sàiไม้máaiหันhǎnอากาศaa-gàatและlɛ́ไม้máaiไต่dtàiคู้kúuครบkrópทุกtúkจุดjùtแล้วlɛ́ɛoหรือยังrʉ̌ʉ-yang
Please proofread the manuscript to see whether the mai han-akat and mai taikhu have been added everywhere.
คู่มือkòo-meuuระบุrá-bùหลักการlàk gaanใช้cháiไม้máiต่างdtàangๆ-เพื่อpêuuaหลีกเลี่ยงlèek lîangความกำกวมkwaam gam guuamของkŏngเสียงsĭiangอ่านàan
The guide sets out principles for using the various 'mai' to avoid ambiguity in pronunciation.
5NounB2
tool; implement
a tool or implement, especially one consisting of a stick or handle; also used in compounds naming such implements
Examples
ครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)3classifier: คน; ท่าน (respectful)บอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâiบอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâi[to] tell [sb] to [do sth]นักเรียนnák-riianนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupilหยิบyìpหยิบyìp1[to] pick up; take (with fingers)2[to] select; choose (a small item)3a pinch (measure)ไม้บรรทัดmáai-ban-tátไม้บรรทัดmáai-ban-tátruler; straightedgeมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerวัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessความยาวkwaam-yaaoความยาวkwaam-yaao1length (spatial)2length; running time (temporal)ของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsกระดาษgrà-dàatกระดาษgrà-dàat1paper (material)2sheet of paper; piece of paper3paper; written or printed sheet
The teacher told the students to pick up a ruler to measure the length of the paper.
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ที่tîiร้านráanเครื่องเขียนkrʉ̂ʉang-kǐianมีmiiไม้máaiฉากchàakและlɛ́ไม้máaiโปรแทรกเตอร์bproo-trɛ̂ɛk-dtə̂əสำหรับsǎm-ràpทำtamแบบbɛ̀ɛpงานngaanช่างchâng
The stationery store has set squares and protractors for drafting.
เขาkǎoพกpókไม้เท้าmáai-táaoพับpápได้dâaiติดตัวdtìt-dtuuaเสมอsà-mə̌əเวลาwee-laaเดินทางไกลdəən-taang-glai
He always carries a foldable walking stick when traveling long distances.
สถาปนิกsà-tǎa-bpà-níkใช้cháiไม้แบบmáai-bɛ̀ɛpคุณภาพดีkun-ná-pâap-diiในnaiการgaanหล่อคอนกรีตlɔ̀ɔ-kɔɔn-grìitเพื่อให้pʉ̂ʉa-hâiได้dâaiผิวpǐuเรียบrîiapและlɛ́มุมmumที่tîiแม่นยำmɛ̂n-yam
The architect uses high-quality formwork to cast concrete for a smooth surface and precise angles.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
High tone
máai
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Low class + Mai tho → High
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 | — | — |