Thai word
ข้าว
khâao
米饭
How to pronounce ข้าว
Falling tone
Starts high, falls quickly to low
ข้าว is written khâao and carries the falling tone. Listen first, then copy the pitch — in Thai the pitch belongs to the word the way a vowel does.
Same syllable, five tones
Thai uses pitch to tell words apart. Below is the same syllable on each of the five tones — nothing changes but the pitch. Say your word (highlighted) on one of the other four and a Thai listener hears a different word, or none at all.
-
khaao
Mid tone
-
khàao
Low tone
- ข้าว
khâao
Falling tone
-
khǎao
Rising tone
-
kháao
High tone
What does ข้าว mean?
Translation
米饭
ข้าว (khâao) means "米饭" in Thai.
Example sentences
กำลังกินข้าวครับ
gamlang gin khâao khráp
我正在吃饭。
มากินข้าว
maa gin khâao
来 gin khâao。
ผมกินข้าวทุกวัน
phǒm kin khâao thúk wan
我每天都吃饭。
Test yourself
One word from the same tone group. Its meaning is not on this page — see whether it stuck.
What does this word mean?
ห้า
hâa
Related words
More words with the falling tone — the same pitch shape, different words.
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