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Hanu, a Sabai Thai companion

Script

The 44 Thai consonants, by class

Grouped the way the tone rules actually use them. The class is half of what decides a syllable's tone, and alphabetical order gives you no help with it. Learn the nine mid-class letters first: they are the smallest group and the most common.

Mid class

9 letters · อักษรกลาง, aksorn klang

ก ko kai

ก

ko kai A person sitting cross-legged - like a chicken roosting k

จ cho chan

จ

cho chan A plate with food - the curve is the rim of the dish ch

ฎ do chada

ฎ

do chada A royal crown - tall and ornate, used mainly in Pali/Sanskrit words d

ฏ

to patak A goad stick used to guide elephants - stiff and pointed t

ด

do dek A child jumping with arms raised - simple and common d

ต to tao

ต

to tao A turtle pulling its head into its shell - round and compact t

บ bo bai mai

บ

bo bai mai A leaf on a branch - notice the stem at the top b

ป po plaa

ป

po plaa A fish with its tail pointing up - like it's jumping p

อ o aang

อ

o aang A basin or tub - also serves as the vowel placeholder in Thai script

High class

11 letters · อักษรสูง, aksorn suung

ข kho khai

ข

kho khai Like ก with an extra leg kicked out - an egg rolling away kh

ฃ kho khuad

ฃ

kho khuad An obsolete letter - rarely seen, like an antique bottle kh

ฉ cho ching

ฉ

cho ching Two small cymbals clinking together at the top ch

ฐ tho thaan

ฐ

tho thaan A pedestal base - solid and wide at the bottom th

ถ tho thung

ถ

tho thung A bag with a knot tied at the top - the little bump is the knot th

ผ pho phueng

ผ

pho phueng A bee with wings spread - the crossbar represents the wings ph

ฝ fo fa

ฝ

fo fa A lid placed over a pot - flat on top with a small handle f

ศ so sala

ศ

so sala A pavilion with columns - used in formal/Sanskrit words s

ษ

so rue-si A hermit's staff - mostly in Sanskrit loanwords s

ส so suea

ส

so suea A tiger crouching low - the most common 's' consonant s

ห ho hip

ห

ho hip A chest or box - also used as a leading consonant to raise tone class h

Low class

24 letters · อักษรต่ำ, aksorn tam

ค kho khwai

ค

kho khwai A buffalo's curved horns pointing upward kh

ฅ

kho khon An obsolete letter for 'person' - faded from modern use kh

ฆ kho rakhang

ฆ

kho rakhang A bell with a long hanging clapper kh

ง ngo ngu

ง

ngo ngu A coiled snake - notice the curling tail at the bottom ng

ช cho chaang

ช

cho chaang An elephant's trunk curling downward to drink water ch

ซ so soh

ซ

so soh Chain links looped together - follow the curves s

ฌ cho choe

ฌ

cho choe A rare letter for a rare tree - mainly seen in formal writing ch

ญ

yo ying A woman with long flowing hair - the tail hangs down gracefully y

ฑ

tho montho Named after Montho, the queen in Ramayana - regal and rare th

ฒ tho phuu thao

ฒ

tho phuu thao An elderly person hunched over a walking stick th

ณ

no nen A novice monk's robe tied at the shoulder - a formal, Pali letter n

ท tho thahaan

ท

tho thahaan A soldier standing at attention - tall and straight th

ธ tho thong

ธ

tho thong A flag fluttering - the curved strokes are the fabric in the wind th

น no nu

น

no nu A little mouse sitting up - the most common 'n' letter in Thai n

พ pho phaan

พ

pho phaan A ceremonial tray on a tall stand - used in offerings ph

ฟ fo fan

ฟ

fo fan A set of teeth - two bumps like front teeth showing f

ภ pho sampao

ภ

pho sampao A traditional sailing junk with a curved hull ph

ม mo maa

ม

mo maa A horse galloping - one of the most common consonants in Thai m

ย yo yaak

ย

yo yaak A giant standing tall - broad shoulders, wide stance y

ร ro ruea

ร

ro ruea A boat on the water - the tail is the wake behind the hull r

ล lo ling

ล

lo ling A monkey swinging - the curl at the bottom is its tail l

ว wo waen

ว

wo waen A ring - round at the top, like a band of gold w

ฬ lo chula

ฬ

lo chula A kite flying high - rare, seen mostly in the word จุฬา (Chulalongkorn) l

ฮ ho nok-huk

ฮ

ho nok-huk An owl hooting at night - a low-class 'h', only in loanwords h

Changdee, a Sabai Thai companion

วันละตัวก็พอ wan la tua ko phoOne letter a day is enough

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