Food and drink มะขาม má-kǎam
tamarind noun
- má high
- kǎam 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?”
How to use it
Brown pods with sticky, sour-sweet flesh inside. Sour tamarind is soaked in water and squeezed to give pad thai, sour curries and dipping sauces their tang; sweet tamarind, มะขามหวานmá-kǎam wǎan, is a snack eaten straight from the pod, and Phetchabun province is famous for it.
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:
- makham
- ma kham
- makam
- ma-kham
- makhaam
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