Nature and weather แผ่นดินไหว pàen-din-wǎi
earthquake noun
- pàen low
- din mid
- wǎi rising
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
Parts: แผ่นดินpàen-din land, ground ไหวwǎi to shake, to tremble
How to use it
Literally "the land shakes". Thailand itself rarely has strong earthquakes, but big ones in Myanmar can be felt far away: in March 2025 a magnitude 7.7 quake there shook Bangkok, about 1,000 km away, and a tower under construction in the city collapsed.
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:
- phaen din wai
- phaendinwai
More nature and weather in Thai
All nature and weather
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones