Animals นกเงือก nók-ngûeak
hornbill noun
- nók high
- ngûeak falling
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
Classifier: ตัวdtua · counting word for animals, clothes, tables and chairs
How to use it
Hornbills live in the big forests of Khao Yai and the South, and a pair stays together for life, so Thais see the นกเงือกnók-ngûeak as a symbol of faithful love. เงือกngûeak on its own is a mermaid.
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:
- nok nguak
- nok ngeuak
More animals in Thai
All animals
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones