ไหว้ผี

wâi-pǐi

Meaning

1VerbB2

[to] worship spirits

To pay respect to, worship, or make offerings to ghosts or spirits, often as part of an animist or traditional belief.

Examples

ก่อนจะgɔ̀ɔn-jàก่อนจะgɔ̀ɔn-jàbefore (introducing a clause)เริ่มrə̂əmเริ่มrə̂əm1[to] start; begin2[to] start to; begin toสร้างsâangสร้างsâang1[to] build; construct2[to] create; produce3[to] establish; found4[to] generate; developบ้านbâanบ้านbâan1house; home2home (family unit)3village; hometown4classifier: หลัง5domestic; domesticated; cultivatedหลังlǎngหลังlǎng1back (of body)2rear; back (part)3behind; at the back of4after; later than5CL: bed; bed-like platform6CL: building; house; structureใหม่màiใหม่mài1new; not old2new; different; fresh3again; anew4new; inexperienced (novice)5hibiscus (Northern Thai)เขาkǎoเขาkǎo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillจ้างjâangจ้างjâang1[to] hire; employ2[to] know how to do [sth] (Northern Thai)หมอผีmɔ̌ɔ-pǐiหมอผีmɔ̌ɔ-pǐishaman; witch doctor; exorcist; sorcererมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerทำพิธีtam-pí-tiiทำพิธีtam-pí-tii[to] conduct a ceremony; perform a ritualไหว้wâiไหว้wâi1[to] wai; pay respect with palms together2wai (gesture)ผีเจ้าที่pǐi-jâao-tîiผีเจ้าที่pǐi-jâao-tîiguardian spirit of a placeก่อนgɔ̀ɔnก่อนgɔ̀ɔn1before; earlier; previously; first2previous; prior; former
Before starting to build a new house, he hired a spirit doctor to perform a ceremony to worship the local guardian spirits first.
3 more examples

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

  1. Consonant classHigh classLeading หA silent ห before ว puts this syllable in high class.
  2. Tone markMai tho
  3. 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 classHigh classLow class
No mark + liveMidRisingMid
No mark + dead shortLowLowHigh
No mark + dead longLowLowFalling
Mai ekLowLowFalling
Mai thoFallingFallingHigh
Mai triHigh——
Mai chattawaRising——

Word Breakdown

+
ไหว้ผีwâi-pǐiไหว้ผีwâi-pǐi[to] worship spirits[to] worship spiritsWord