Heart in Thai

“Heart” in Thai is หัวใจhǔa-jai; you'll also hear ใจjai (heart, mind (in feeling words)).

หัวใจ hǔa-jai

heart noun

hǔa rising
jai mid

Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”

ใจ jai

heart, mind noun heart, mind (in feeling words)

jai mid

Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.

The base of countless feeling words: ดีใจdii-jai (glad), เสียใจsǐa-jai (sorry, sad), ใจดีjai-dii (kind). ทำใจtam-jai = to come to terms with something painful.

You'll hear it in Your Heart for My Number (ขอใจเธอแลกเบอร์โทร).

How to use it

หัวใจhǔa-jai is the heart itself, the one that beats and the one in love songs. ใจjai is the heart as the seat of feelings, and it's hidden in dozens of words: ใจดีjai-dii (kind, "good heart"), ดีใจdii-jai (glad), เสียใจsǐa-jai (sad), เข้าใจkâo-jai (understand, "enter the heart") and ใจเย็นjai-yen (calm, "cool heart").

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:

chai

More feelings in Thai

All feelings

เสียใจ sǐa-jai Sad
ซึมเศร้า suem-sâo Depressed
เหงา ngǎo Lonely
คิดถึงบ้าน kít-tǔeng bâan Homesick
homesick (literally 'miss home')
ร้องไห้ ráwng-hâai Cry
to cry
น้ำตา náam-dtaa Tears

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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones