Culture and festivalsHi-so in Thai
Hi-so, ไฮโซhai-soo, is Thai for “high society”: rich, fashionable and a little posh.
high society, posh (from 'high society') adjective
- hai mid
- soo mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
How to use it
ไฮโซhai-soo, short for "high society", describes the rich and fashionable and anything that looks expensive: a rooftop bar, a designer handbag, a wedding at a five-star hotel. Thais use it half admiringly, half teasingly. Its opposite, โลโซloo-soo, "low-so", for anything cheap and unfashionable, can sound snobbish, so use it with care.
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:
- hiso
- hi so
- haiso
- high so
More culture and festivals in Thai
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones