ไล่ล่า
lâi-lâaMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] chase; pursue; hunt down
to pursue with the intent to catch, capture, or kill; to hunt down (often used for criminals, targets, or prey).
Examples
ตำรวจdtam-rùuatตำรวจdtam-rùuatpolice; police officerไล่ล่าlâi-lâaไล่ล่าlâi-lâa1[to] chase; pursue; hunt down2[to] go after (figurative)คนร้ายkon-ráaiคนร้ายkon-ráai1criminal; culprit; perpetrator; assailant2villain (in fiction)ไปจนถึงbpai-jon-tʉ̌ngไปจนถึงbpai-jon-tʉ̌ng1up to; as far as (place/limit)2until; through (time/date)3to the extent of; even reachingท้ายซอยtáai-sɔɔiท้ายซอยtáai-sɔɔiend of the alley
The police chased the criminal to the end of the alley.
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ชาวบ้านchaao-bâanช่วยกันchûuai-ganแจ้งjɛ̂ɛngเบาะแสbɔ̀-sɛ̌ɛให้hâiเจ้าหน้าที่jâao-nâa-tîiที่tîiกำลังgam-langไล่ล่าlâi-lâaผู้ต้องสงสัยpûu-dtɔ̂ng-sǒng-sǎiหนีnǐiคดีká-dii
Villagers provided tips to the officers who were pursuing a fugitive suspect.
นักล่าnák-lâaติดตามdtìt-dtaamรอยเท้าrɔɔi-táaoสัตว์ป่าsàt-bpàaและlɛ́ไล่ล่าlâi-lâaมันmanอย่างระมัดระวังyàang-rá-mát-rá-wangในnaiป่าbpàaโปร่งbpròong
The hunter followed the wild animal's tracks and hunted it cautiously in the open forest.
หน่วยเฉพาะกิจnùuai-chà-pɔ́-gìtปิดล้อมbpìt-lɔ́ɔmพื้นที่pʉ́ʉn-tîiและlɛ́ไล่ล่าlâi-lâaแก๊งgɛ́ngค้ามนุษย์káa-má-nútโดยdooiประสานงานbprà-sǎan-ngaanกับgàpตำรวจdtam-rùuatชายแดนchaai-dɛɛnเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaสกัดsà-gàtการหลบหนีgaan-lòp-nǐi
The task force cordoned off the area and hunted down the human trafficking gang, coordinating with border police to prevent their escape.
2VerbB2
[to] go after (figurative)
to actively seek or chase after something abstract, such as goals, fame, or opportunities (figurative).
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillไล่ล่าlâi-lâaไล่ล่าlâi-lâa1[to] chase; pursue; hunt down2[to] go after (figurative)ความฝันkwaam-fǎnความฝันkwaam-fǎn1dream (during sleep)2dream; aspiration; ambition3pipe dream; unrealistic idealที่tîiที่tîi1place; spot; seat; space2at; in; to (a place)3classifier: places; seats; individual servings4that/which/who (relative marker)5when; the time that (time marker)6ordinal markerจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)เป็นbpenเป็นbpen1to be (identity/category/state)2to become3[to] know how; be able to (skill)4alive; living5[to] have; suffer from; be in (a condition)นักเขียนnák-kǐianนักเขียนnák-kǐianwriter; authorแม้mɛ́ɛแม้mɛ́ɛ1even if; although; even though2evenต้องdtɔ̂ngต้องdtɔ̂ng1must; have to2must; bound toทำงานtam-ngaanทำงานtam-ngaan1[to] work; do one's job; be on duty2[to] function; operateกลางวันglaang-wanกลางวันglaang-wan1daytime; daylight hours2by day; during the dayและlɛ́และlɛ́and (coordinating)เขียนkǐianเขียนkǐian1[to] write2[to] draw; sketch3[to] fill out; write in4[to] compose; author5[to] write (data); burn (a disc)ตอนกลางคืนdtɔɔn-glaang-kʉʉnตอนกลางคืนdtɔɔn-glaang-kʉʉn1at night; during the night2nighttime; the night period
He chases his dream of becoming a writer, even though he works by day and writes at night.
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หลายคนlăai konไล่ล่าlâi lâaโอกาสoh-gàatทางtaangอาชีพaa-chêepใหม่màiๆ-เพื่อpêuuaพัฒนาpát-tá-naaตัวเองdtuua eng
Many people pursue new career opportunities to develop themselves.
เธอtəəเลือกlʉ̂ʉakไล่ล่าชื่อเสียงlâi-lâa-chʉ̂ʉ-sǐiangผ่านpàanผลงานpǒn-ngaanที่tîiมีคุณภาพmii-kun-ná-pâapมากกว่าmâak-gwàaการสร้างกระแสgaan-sâang-grà-sɛ̌ɛชั่วคราวchûua-kraao
She chooses to pursue fame through quality work rather than by creating short-lived hype.
บริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtไล่ล่าlâi-lâaนวัตกรรมná-wát-dtà-gamอย่างต่อเนื่องyàang-dtɔ̀ɔ-nʉ̂ʉangเพื่อไม่ให้pʉ̂ʉa-mâi-hâiพลาดplâatหน้าต่างnâa-dtàangแห่งhɛ̀ngโอกาสoo-gàatในnaiตลาดdtà-làat
The company continually chases innovation so as not to miss the window of opportunity in the market.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markMai ek
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Falling tone
lâi
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
ไล่lâiไล่lâi1[to] chase; pursue2[to] drive away; expel3[to] fire; dismiss4[to] go through in order; sort; enumerate5[to] adjust progressively[to] chase; pursuePart 1
+
ไล่ล่าlâi-lâaไล่ล่าlâi-lâa[to] chase; pursue; hunt down[to] chase; pursue; hunt downWord