Body and healthPatient (in hospital) in Thai
“Patient (in hospital)” in Thai is คนไข้kon-kâi; you'll also hear ผู้ป่วยpûu-bpùay (formal).
patient noun everyday
- kon mid
- kâi falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
Classifier: คนkon · person, people
patient (formal, on signs) noun
- pûu falling
- bpùay low
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
How to use it
Doctors and nurses say คนไข้kon-kâi, "fever person". Signs and forms use ผู้ป่วยpûu-bpùay, from ป่วยbpùay, to be ill: at a Thai hospital, outpatients are ผู้ป่วยนอกpûu-bpùay nâwk and inpatients ผู้ป่วยในpûu-bpùay nai.
Sick leave from work is ลาป่วยlaa bpùay, and it often needs a medical certificate.
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:
- khon khai
- phu puai
- poo puay
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones