Food and drink น้ำมันหอย náam-man-hǎwy
oyster sauce noun
- náam high
- man mid
- hǎwy rising
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
Parts: น้ำมันnáam-man oil หอยhǎwy shellfish, oyster
How to use it
Literally "shellfish oil": the thick, savoury brown sauce behind most Chinese-Thai stir-fries, from greens to beef. It's made from oysters, so vegetarians and anyone allergic to shellfish should ask; vegetarian shops use a mushroom version.
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:
- nam man hoi
- nam mun hoy
- nammanhoi
More food and drink in Thai
All food and drink- ข้าว kâao Rice
- ข้าวเหนียว kâao-nǐaw Sticky rice
- ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง kâao-nǐaw má-mûang Mango sticky rice
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones