ไว
waiMeanings
1AdjectiveA1
fast; quick; rapid
moving, happening, or done in a short time; fast or rapid
Examples
เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillวิ่งwîngวิ่งwîng1[to] run2[to] run (operate; be in service)3[to] flow; courseไวwaiไวwai1fast; quick; rapid2early; soon; ahead of time3sensitive; reactiveมากmâakมากmâak1very; extremely2much; a lot; greatly3many; numerous
He runs very fast.
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The internet at my house is fast.
The staff worked quickly yesterday.
2AdjectiveA2
early; soon; ahead of time
happening earlier than expected or before the usual time; ahead of time
Examples
วันนี้wan-níiวันนี้wan-níi1today (time of speech)2today; this day3nowadays; at presentรถไฟrót-faiรถไฟrót-fai1train2railway; rail serviceมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerไวwaiไวwai1fast; quick; rapid2early; soon; ahead of time3sensitive; reactive
Today the train arrived early.
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He arrived at the airport earlier than planned.
The meeting started early because everyone had arrived.
เราraoส่งsòngรายงานraai-ngaanไวwaiเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaหลีกเลี่ยงlìik-lîiangความล่าช้าkwaam-lâa-cháaภายหลังpaai-lǎng
We submitted the report ahead of time to avoid delays later.
3AdjectiveB2
sensitive; reactive
easily affected or reacting quickly to emotions, stimuli, or substances
Examples
เด็กdèkเด็กdèk1child; kid2young person (informal)คนนี้kon-níiคนนี้kon-níithis personไวต่อwai-dtɔ̀ɔไวต่อwai-dtɔ̀ɔsensitive to [sth]; susceptible to [sth]เสียงดังมากsǐiang-dang-mâakเสียงดังมากsǐiang-dang-mâakvery loudพอpɔɔพอpɔɔ1enough; sufficient2enough; sufficiently3[to] suffice; be enough4quite; rather; fairly5as soon as; whenมีmiiมีmii1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoเสียงsǐiangเสียงsǐiang1sound; noise2voice3vote4tone; timbre5phonetic toneรถrótรถrót1vehicle (general)2car; automobileผ่านpàanผ่านpàan1[to] pass (by/through)2[to] pass (succeed/clear)3[to] experience; go through4past; via; throughก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerสะดุ้งsà-dûngสะดุ้งsà-dûng1[to] start; jump (in surprise)2[to] flinch; winceทันทีtan-tiiทันทีtan-tiiimmediately; at once
This child is very sensitive to loud noises; when a car passes, he startles immediately.
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ผิวpǐuของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoไวต่อwai-dtɔ̀ɔแสงแดดsɛ̌ɛng-dɛ̀ɛtจึงjʉngต้องdtɔ̂ngทาtaaครีมกันแดดkriim-gan-dɛ̀ɛtตลอดdtà-lɔ̀ɔt
Her skin is sensitive to sunlight, so she has to apply sunscreen all the time.
เขาkǎoไวต่อwai-dtɔ̀ɔคำวิจารณ์kam-wí-jaanจนjonเครียดkrîiatง่ายngâaiควรkuuanฝึกfʉ̀kแยกแยะyɛ̂ɛk-yɛ́ข้อเสนอแนะkɔ̂ɔ-sà-nə̌ə-nɛ́เชิงสร้างสรรค์chəəng-sâang-sǎn
He is sensitive to criticism and gets stressed easily; he should practice distinguishing constructive feedback.
ร่างกายrâang-gaaiฉันchǎnไวต่อwai-dtɔ̀ɔกาแฟgaa-fɛɛดื่มdʉ̀ʉmแค่kɛ̂ɛครึ่งkrʉ̂ngแก้วgɛ̂ɛoก็gɔ̂ใจสั่นjai-sànและlɛ́นอนไม่หลับnɔɔn-mâi-làp
My body is sensitive to coffee; just half a cup makes my heart race and keeps me awake.
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
wai
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 | — | — |