ผู้ (phu) in Thai: the word for “person who”

Phu, ผู้pûu, means “person”: in front of a verb or a describing word it makes a word for someone, like English “-er”: ผู้โดยสารpûu-dooi-sǎan, a passenger.

ผู้ pûu

person (who …): makes words for people, like -er noun prefix

pûu falling

Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”

How to use it

Many words for people start with ผู้pûu: ผู้ชายpûu-chaai (man, "male person"), ผู้หญิงpûu-yǐng (woman), ผู้ใหญ่pûu-yài (adult, "big person"), ผู้จัดการpûu-jàt-gaan (manager) and ผู้โดยสารpûu-dooi-sǎan (passenger). On signs and forms, ผู้ที่pûu tîi means "those who, anyone who".

In conversation Thais say คนที่kon tîi, "the person who", instead. Compare นักnák, for someone who does something as a job or a passion: นักเรียนnák-rian is a student.