Animals
water buffalo; (insult) idiot noun
- kwaai mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
Classifier: ตัวdtua · counting word for animals, clothes, tables and chairs
How to use it
ควายkwaai is the water buffalo that ploughed Thailand's rice fields for centuries; the letter คkaw is named after it: ค ควายkaw kwaai. The formal word is กระบือgrà-buue, seen on signs and in writing.
Calling a person a ควายkwaai means "you idiot", and it's a real insult, so keep the word for the animal.
Other spellings you'll see
There's no single official way to write Thai in English letters. We mark the tone of every syllable; online you'll also find:
- kwai
- khwai
- kwy
- quai
- kwaii
More animals in Thai
All animals
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones