ไหว้ครู
wâi-kruuMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] pay respect to teacher(s); do Wai Khru
To formally pay respect to one’s teacher(s), typically by performing a wai and presenting symbolic offerings.
Examples
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiพรุ่งนี้prûng-níi1tomorrow (the day after today)2tomorrow; on the day after todayนักเรียนnák-riianนักเรียนnák-riianschool student; pupilทุกคนtúk-konทุกคนtúk-koneveryone; everybodyจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerโรงเรียนroong-riianโรงเรียนroong-riian1school (institution)2school (building)แต่เช้าdtɛ̀ɛ-cháaoแต่เช้าdtɛ̀ɛ-cháaoearly in the morning; since early morningเพื่อไหว้pʉ̂ʉa-wâiเพื่อไหว้pʉ̂ʉa-wâifor paying respectครูkruuครูkruu1teacher2master; mentor (respectful)
Tomorrow, all students will come to school early to pay respect to their teachers.
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ก่อนจะgɔ̀ɔn-jàเริ่มrə̂əmเรียนมวยriian-muuaiไทยtaiนักมวยnák-muuaiได้dâaiไหว้ครูwâi-kruuตามธรรมเนียมdtaam-tam-niiam
Before starting the Muay Thai lesson, the boxer paid respect to his master according to tradition.
หลังจากlǎng-jàakเรียนจบriian-jòpไปbpaiหลายlǎaiปีbpiiศิษย์เก่าsìt-gàoหลายคนlǎai-konก็gɔ̂กลับมาglàp-maaที่tîiโรงเรียนroong-riianเพื่อไหว้pʉ̂ʉa-wâiครูkruuที่tîiเคยkəəiสอนsɔ̌ɔn
Many years after graduation, many alumni return to the school to pay respect to their former teachers.
การที่gaan têeศิลปินsĭn-lá-bpinในnaiแขนงkà-năengต่างๆdtàang-dtàangจะjàไหว้ครูwâai krooก่อนgònการแสดงgaan sà-daengครั้งสำคัญkráng săm-kanถือเป็นtĕu bpenธรรมเนียมไทยtam-niiam taiอันanงดงามngót ngaam
It is a beautiful Thai tradition for artists in various fields to formally pay respect to their mentors before a major performance.
2NounB1
Wai Khru ceremony
A formal Thai ceremony, commonly held annually in schools and traditional arts, in which students honor their teachers and seek their blessing.
Examples
โรงเรียนrong rianโรงเรียนrong rian1school (institution)2school (building)ของเราkŏng raoของเราkŏng rao1our (belonging to us)2oursมีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoพิธีไหว้ครูpí-tee wâai krooพิธีไหว้ครูpí-tee wâai krooWai Khru ceremony; teacher-honoring riteวันพฤหัสบดีwan préu-hàt-sà-bor-deeวันพฤหัสบดีwan préu-hàt-sà-bor-deeThursdayหน้าnâaหน้าnâa1face2front; frontage3page4next; upcoming5in front; at the front6season; time of year7topping (food)
Our school has a teacher appreciation ceremony next Thursday.
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ฉันchǎnจำได้jam-dâaiว่าwâaเคยkəəiได้รับเลือกdâi-ráp-lʉ̂ʉakให้hâiถือtʉ̌ʉพานpaanดอกไม้dɔ̀ɔk-máaiในnaiพิธีไหว้ครูpí-tii-wâi-kruuตอนdtɔɔnอยู่yùuมัธยมmát-tá-yom
I remember being chosen to hold the flower tray during the teacher appreciation ceremony in high school.
นักเรียนnák-riianทุกคนtúk-konช่วยกันchûuai-ganทำtamพานpaanสำหรับsǎm-ràpพิธีไหว้ครูpí-tii-wâi-kruuอย่างสวยงามyàang-sǔuai-ngaam
All the students helped make beautiful floral trays for the teacher appreciation ceremony.
พิธีไหว้ครูpí-tee wâai krooประจำปีbprà-jam bpeeไม่ใช่mâi châiเป็นเพียงbpen piiangพิธีการpí-tee gaanตามธรรมเนียมdtaam tam-niiamแต่ยังdtàe yangช่วยchûuaiตอกย้ำdtòk yámคุณค่าkun-ná-kâaทางวัฒนธรรมtaang wát-tá-ná-tamเรื่องrêuuangความกตัญญูkwaam gà-dtan-yoo
The annual teacher appreciation ceremony is not just a formality; it also reinforces the cultural value of gratitude.
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 markMai tho
- Syllable endingLive syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
High class consonants
ขฃฉฐถผฝศษสห
Result
Falling tone
wâi
Starts high, rises a little, then drops clearly.
High class + Mai tho → 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
ไหว้wâiไหว้wâi1[to] wai; pay respect with palms together2wai (gesture)[to] wai; pay respect with palms togetherPart 1
+
ไหว้ครูwâi-kruuไหว้ครูwâi-kruu[to] pay respect to teacher(s); do Wai Khru[to] pay respect to teacher(s); do Wai KhruWord