Body and health เบาหวาน bao-wǎan
diabetes noun
- bao mid
- wǎan rising
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
Parts: เบาbao light; urine (polite) หวานwǎan sweet
How to use it
เบาหวานbao-wǎan is "sweet urine", the old way the illness was spotted: polite Thai calls peeing ถ่ายเบาtàai bao, "light excretion". Thai drinks and desserts are sweet, so order หวานน้อยwǎan náwy, less sweet, or ไม่หวานmâi wǎan, no sugar. High blood pressure, which often comes with it, is ความดันสูงkwaam-dan sǔung.
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:
- bao wan
- baowan
More body and health in Thai
All body and health
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones