Body and health ไข้หวัดใหญ่ kâi-wàt-yài
flu, influenza noun
- kâi falling
- wàt low
- yài low
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
Parts: ไข้kâi fever หวัดwàt a cold ใหญ่yài big
How to use it
The flu is a "big fever cold", ไข้หวัดใหญ่kâi-wàt-yài, while an ordinary cold is just หวัดwàt. Thailand has flu all year, with more cases in the rainy season, and hospitals offer the flu jab as วัคซีนไข้หวัดใหญ่wák-siin kâi-wàt-yài.
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:
- khai wat yai
- kai wad yai
- khai wat yaai
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