Thai word
ใหญ่
yài
大
How to pronounce ใหญ่
Low tone
Low and flat, slightly falling at the end
ใหญ่ is written yài and carries the low 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.
-
yai
Mid tone
- ใหญ่
yài
Low tone
-
yâi
Falling tone
-
yǎi
Rising tone
-
yái
High tone
What does ใหญ่ mean?
Translation
大
ใหญ่ (yài) means "大" in Thai.
Example sentences
บ้านอยู่ในซอยเล็กๆ แต่ใกล้ถนนใหญ่ครับ
Bâan yùu nai sooý lék-lék dtɛ̀ɛ glâi tà-nǒn yài kráp
房子在一条小巷子里，但离主干道很近。
มีไซส์ใหญ่กว่านี้ไหมครับ
mii sái yài gwàa níi mǎi khráp
有更大号的吗？
คนเชียงใหม่ส่วนใหญ่พูดคำเมืองกันในบ้าน
khon chiang-mài sùan-yài phûut kham-meuuang gan nai bâan
清迈的大部分人在家里互相说坎蒙语（泰北语）。
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?
บาท
bàat
Related words
More words with the low tone — the same pitch shape, different words.
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