Describing thingsPopular in Thai
“Popular” in Thai is ฮิตhít; you'll also hear ขายดีkǎai dii (selling well) and นิยมní-yom (formal).
popular, a hit (from English) adjective
- hít high
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
selling well, a bestseller adjective
- kǎai rising
- dii mid
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
popular (formal); to favour adjective
- ní high
- yom mid
- High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.
How to use it
ฮิตhít is popular right now: a song, a café, a snack on TikTok. In shops and at markets, ask what sells best: อันไหนขายดีan nǎi kǎai dii, a question every vendor is happy to answer. นิยมní-yom is the formal word, for lasting popularity in writing and the news, and a famous person or place is ดังdang.
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:
- hid
- kai dee
- khai di
More describing things in Thai
All describing things
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones