ไหวตัว
wǎi-dtuuaMeaning
1VerbB2
[to] sense danger and react; [to] get wind of [sth]
To become aware of a potential threat, plot, or change in circumstances and take action, often preemptively to escape or prepare.
Examples
คนร้ายkon-ráaiคนร้ายkon-ráai1criminal; culprit; perpetrator; assailant2villain (in fiction)ไหวตัวทันwǎi-dtuua-tanไหวตัวทันwǎi-dtuua-tan[to] realize in timeก่อนที่gɔ̀ɔn-tîiก่อนที่gɔ̀ɔn-tîibefore (introducing a clause)ตำรวจdtam-rùuatตำรวจdtam-rùuatpolice; police officerจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)มาถึงmaa-tʉ̌ngมาถึงmaa-tʉ̌ng1[to] arrive (somewhere)2[to] reach; come to (time/stage/topic)เลยləəiเลยləəi1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceedหนีไปnǐi-bpaiหนีไปnǐi-bpai[to] flee; run away; escape (away)ได้dâaiได้dâai1okay; sure; agreed2[to] get; obtain; receive3can; [to] be able to; may4[to] manage to; succeed in5actualized-action marker
The criminal became aware just before the police arrived, so he managed to escape.
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พอpɔɔเขาkǎoรู้สึกว่าrúu-sʉ̀k-wâaเจ้านายjâo-naaiเริ่มrə̂əmไม่พอใจmâi-pɔɔ-jaiเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂ไหวตัวwǎi-dtuuaด้วยdûuaiการgaanรีบrîipหางานhǎa-ngaanใหม่màiทันทีtan-tii
When he sensed his boss was starting to be displeased, he reacted by immediately looking for a new job.
นักการเมืองnák-gaan-mʉʉangคนkonนั้นnánไหวตัวwǎi-dtuuaเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangการสืบสวนgaan-sʉ̀ʉp-sǔuanได้dâaiทันท่วงทีtan-tûuang-tiiจึงjʉngสามารถsǎa-mâatทำลายหลักฐานtam-laai-làk-tǎanสำคัญsǎm-kanไปbpaiได้dâaiก่อนgɔ̀ɔn
That politician got wind of the investigation in the nick of time, thus was able to destroy important evidence beforehand.
ดูเหมือนว่าduu-mʉ̌ʉan-wâaบริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtคู่แข่งkûu-kɛ̀ngจะjàไหวตัวwǎi-dtuuaเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangแผนการตลาดpɛ̌ɛn-gaan-dtà-làatใหม่màiของเราkɔ̌ɔng-raoพวกเขาpûuak-kǎoจึงjʉngรีบrîipชิงchingเปิดbpə̀ətตัวสินค้าdtuua-sǐn-káaตัดหน้าdtàt-nâaไปก่อนbpai-gɔ̀ɔn
It seems the rival company caught on to our new marketing plan, so they preemptively rushed to launch their product first.
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 classHigh classLeading หA silent ห before ว puts this syllable in high class.
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ไ hides a final -ย, so it is live.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Rising tone
wǎi
Dips low first, then rises clearly.
High class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Rising
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
+
ตัวdtuuaตัวdtuua1body; self; person (colloq.)2classifier: animals, garments, furniture, certain items; people (informal)3character; figurebody; self; person (colloq.)Part 2
ไหวตัวwǎi-dtuuaไหวตัวwǎi-dtuua[to] sense danger and react; [to] get wind of [sth][to] sense danger and react; [to] get wind of [sth]Word