Niece or nephew in Thai

A niece in Thai is หลานสาวlǎan-sǎao and a nephew หลานชายlǎan-chaai, the same words as granddaughter and grandson.

หลานสาว lǎan-sǎao

niece; granddaughter noun

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

Classifier: คนkon · person, people


หลานชาย lǎan-chaai

nephew; grandson noun

  • lǎan rising
  • chaai mid
  • Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”

Classifier: คนkon · person, people

How to use it

Thai uses หลานlǎan for grandchildren and for nieces and nephews alike: หลานสาวlǎan-sǎao is a niece or a granddaughter, หลานชายlǎan-chaai a nephew or a grandson. Context usually tells you which; to be precise, say whose child it is: ลูกของพี่สาวlûuk kǎwng pîi-sǎao, my older sister's child.

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:

  • lan sao
  • lan chai

More family in Thai

All family
  • ครอบครัว krâwp-krua Family
  • พ่อ pâw Father

    father, dad

  • แม่ mâe Mother

    mother, mum

  • ภรรยา pan-rá-yaa Wife

    wife (polite)

  • สามี sǎa-mii Husband

    husband (polite)

  • แฟน faen Boyfriend or girlfriend

    boyfriend, girlfriend

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