Small wordsSide in Thai
“Side” in Thai is ข้างkâang; you'll also hear ฝั่งfàng (side of a road or river) and ด้านdâan (formal; aspect).
side; beside noun
- kâang falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
side; bank, shore noun side of a road or river
- fàng low
- Low: flat and lower than your normal voice, dropping a little at the end.
side; aspect (formal) noun
- dâan falling
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
How to use it
ข้างkâang is a side, and it builds the position words: ข้างในkâang-nai (inside), ข้างนอกkâang-nâwk (outside), ข้างบนkâang-bon (upstairs) and ข้างๆkâang-kâang (next to). Before a direction it's "the … side": ข้างซ้ายkâang sáai, the left side.
ฝั่งfàng is the side of something you cross, a road or a river: in Bangkok, ฝั่งธนfàng ton is the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya. Formal Thai says ด้านdâan, which is also a side of a question: ด้านดีdâan dii, the good side.
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:
- khang
- kang
- fung
More small words in Thai
All small words
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones