PeopleLadyboy in Thai
“Ladyboy” in Thai is กะเทยgà-toei; you'll also hear สาวประเภทสองsǎao-bprà-pêet-sǎwng (polite) and ผู้หญิงข้ามเพศpûu-yǐng kâam-pêet (respectful).
kathoey: a trans woman, or an effeminate gay man (can offend) noun everyday, can offend
- gà low
- toei mid
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
trans woman (polite) noun
- sǎao rising
- bprà low
- pêet falling
- sǎwng rising
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
trans woman (respectful) noun
- pûu falling
- yǐng rising
- kâam falling
- pêet falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
How to use it
Trans women are more visible in Thailand than in most countries. กะเทยgà-toei is the everyday word, used for trans women and sometimes for effeminate gay men, and some use it about themselves, but from others it can sound mocking, like the English ladyboy. Polite Thai says สาวประเภทสองsǎao-bprà-pêet-sǎwng, "the second kind of woman", and the modern, respectful term is ผู้หญิงข้ามเพศpûu-yǐng kâam-pêet, "a woman who crossed gender".
Many trans women simply call themselves ผู้หญิงpûu-yǐng, a woman: use her name and the same words you'd use for any woman.
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:
- kathoey
- katoey
- kathoei
- gatoey
- katoei
- sao praphet song
More people in Thai
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones