ไร
raiMeanings
1NounB1
mite (tiny arachnid)
a very small arachnid, such as a dust mite or plant mite
Examples
หมอmɔ̌ɔหมอmɔ̌ɔ1doctor; physician2veterinarian3expert; specialist (informal)4traditional healer; shamanบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâaบอกว่าbɔ̀ɔk-wâa1[to] say/tell that; report/declare that2[of text/sign] say/indicate thatอาการคันaa-gaan-kanอาการคันaa-gaan-kanitch; itchinessอาจàatอาจàat1may; might (possibility)2possibly; perhaps3able; capable (literary/formal)เกิดจากgə̀ət-jàakเกิดจากgə̀ət-jàak1[to] result from [sth]; be caused by [sth]; arise from [sth]2[to] be formed from; originate from; be produced byไรraiไรrai1mite (tiny arachnid)2(colloq.) what?; wh- (shortened form of อะไร)3(colloq.) what; which4rice seedling; rice sprout (Northern/poetic)ฝุ่นfùnฝุ่นfùn1dust; fine dry particles2particulate matter (air pollution)ในnaiในnai1in; inside; within2during; in (time)3of; belonging to (formal)ที่นอนtîi-nɔɔnที่นอนtîi-nɔɔn1mattress; sleeping pad2sleeping place; bedding area
The doctor said the itching might be caused by dust mites in the bedding.
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สวนsǔuanมะนาวmá-naaoของkɔ̌ɔngลุงlungเสียหายsǐia-hǎaiเพราะprɔ́ไรแดงrai-dɛɛngเกาะgɔ̀ใบbaiและlɛ́ดูดdùutน้ำเลี้ยงnáam-líiang
Uncle’s lime orchard was damaged because red mites clung to the leaves and sucked the sap.
แม่บ้านmɛ̂ɛ-bâanซักsákผ้าปูที่นอนpâa-bpuu-tîi-nɔɔnด้วยdûuaiน้ำร้อนnáam-rɔ́ɔnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaกำจัดgam-jàtไรraiที่tîiสะสมsà-sǒmอยู่yùuตามdtaamเส้นใยsên-yaiผ้าpâa
The housekeeper washes the bed sheets with hot water to eliminate mites accumulated in the fabric fibers.
นักกีฏวิทยาnák gèet wít-tá-yaaแนะนำให้náe-nam hâiตรวจdtrùuatใต้dtâiใบไม้bai máaiด้วยdûuayแว่นขยายwâen kà-yăaiเพราะpráwไรraiมีmeeขนาดเล็กkà-nàat lékมากmâakจนjonมองไม่เห็นmong mâi hĕnด้วยdûuayตาเปล่าdtaa bplào
The entomologist advised checking under leaves with a magnifying glass because mites are so small they can’t be seen with the naked eye.
2PronounB1
(colloq.) what?; wh- (shortened form of อะไรอะไรà-rai1what; what kind of (modifier)2something; anything (unspecified)3what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)4what)
a colloquial shortening of อะไรอะไรà-rai1what; what kind of (modifier)2something; anything (unspecified)3what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)4what meaning “what”; used in informal speech, texting, and online writing
Examples
เดี๋ยวdǐiaoเดี๋ยวdǐiao1soon; in a moment2for a moment; briefly; one moment3wait! just a moment4otherwise; or else (colloq.)5alternating; now … now …ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already pastกินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] consume; use up4[to] corrode; erode; eat into5[to] take (a bribe); pocketไรดีrai-diiไรดีrai-dii[informal] what would be good?; what should [we/I/you] do?หลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: building; house; structureเลิกเรียนlə̂ək-riianเลิกเรียนlə̂ək-riian[to] finish school; [to] get out of class; school is out
What should we eat after class?
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What did you just say? I didn’t hear clearly.
What does this post mean? Please explain.
สรุปแล้วsà-rùp-lɛ́ɛoเขาkǎoต้องการไรdtɔ̂ng-gaan-raiจากjàakเราraoกันแน่gan-nɛ̂ɛช่วยchûuaiบอกให้bɔ̀ɔk-hâiชัดเจนchát-jeenหน่อยnɔ̀i
So what exactly does he want from us? Please make it clear.
3determinerB1
(colloq.) what; which
An informal shortening of อะไรอะไรà-rai1what; what kind of (modifier)2something; anything (unspecified)3what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)4what used after a noun to ask what or which, as in คนไร 'what kind of person'.
Examples
คืนนี้kʉʉn-níiคืนนี้kʉʉn-níi1tonight (the night of today)2tonightกินginกินgin1[to] eat2[to] drink (colloquial/with some nouns)3[to] consume; use up4[to] corrode; erode; eat into5[to] take (a bribe); pocketไรดีrai-diiไรดีrai-dii[informal] what would be good?; what should [we/I/you] do?
What food should we eat tonight?
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What did you just say? I didn't hear clearly.
What documents are needed for this task? Could you tell me?
ถ้าtâaอยากyàakสมัครงานsà-màk-ngaanบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtนั้นnánควรkuuanเตรียมdtriiamพอร์ตpɔ́ɔtแบบbɛ̀ɛpไรraiถึงจะtʉ̌ng-jàโดดเด่นdòot-dèen
If you want to apply to that company, what kind of portfolio should you prepare to stand out?
4NounC1
rice seedling; rice sprout (Northern/poetic)
a young rice plant at the seedling or sprout stage, found in Northern dialects and some literary contexts
Examples
ที่นอนtîi-nɔɔnที่นอนtîi-nɔɔn1mattress; sleeping pad2sleeping place; bedding areaเก่าgàoเก่าgào1old; not new2former; previous3old-fashioned; outdatedมักจะmák-jàมักจะmák-jà1often; usually (habit/frequency)2tend to; be apt/prone to (general tendency)มีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoตัวdtuuaตัวdtuua1body; self; person (colloq.)2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3character; figureไรraiไรrai1mite (tiny arachnid)2(colloq.) what?; wh- (shortened form of อะไร)3(colloq.) what; which4rice seedling; rice sprout (Northern/poetic)ฝุ่นfùnฝุ่นfùn1dust; fine dry particles2particulate matter (air pollution)อาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùuอาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùu[to] live; reside; dwell; inhabitซึ่งsʉ̂ngซึ่งsʉ̂ng1which; that (relative pronoun)2which/and this; introducing explanationอาจàatอาจàat1may; might (possibility)2possibly; perhaps3able; capable (literary/formal)ทำให้เกิดtam-hâi-gə̀ətทำให้เกิดtam-hâi-gə̀ət[to] cause; bring about; give rise to; lead toภูมิแพ้puum-pɛ́ɛภูมิแพ้puum-pɛ́ɛ1allergy2allergic; prone to allergies
Old mattresses often have dust mites living in them, which can cause allergies.
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สุนัขsù-nákของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoมีmiiอาการคันaa-gaan-kanหูhǔuเพราะprɔ́มีmiiไรraiเข้าไปkâo-bpaiอาศัยอยู่aa-sǎi-yùuข้างในkâang-nai
His dog has itchy ears because there are mites living inside them.
ในnaiเรื่องเล่าrʉ̂ʉang-lâoพื้นบ้านpʉ́ʉn-bâanเหนือnʉ̌ʉaมักกล่าวmák-glàaoถึงtʉ̌ngทุ่งtûngที่tîiเต็มไปด้วยdtem-bpai-dûuaiไรraiอ่อนɔ̀ɔnลู่ไหวlûu-wǎiตามdtaamลมเย็นlom-yenของkɔ̌ɔngยามเช้าyaam-cháao
In Northern folktales, they often speak of fields filled with tender rice sprouts swaying with the cool morning breeze.
ช่างตัดผมchâng-dtàt-pǒmกันganไรผมrai-pǒmที่tîiต้นคอdtôn-kɔɔของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoออกɔ̀ɔkจนjonเกลี้ยงเกลาglîiang-glao
The barber shaved the hairline at the nape of his neck until it was smooth.
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
rai
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 | — | — |