PeopleTeacher in Thai
“Teacher” in Thai is ครูkruu; you'll also hear อาจารย์aa-jaan (university, respected).
teacher (at school) noun
- kruu mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
Classifier: คนkon · person, people
lecturer, teacher (university); a respected master noun
- aa mid
- jaan mid
- Mid: level, in your normal speaking voice.
How to use it
Teachers are deeply respected in Thailand. Pupils call a schoolteacher ครูkruu or คุณครูkun kruu, schools hold a ไหว้ครูwâai kruu ceremony every year to honour them, and 16 January is Teachers' Day.
อาจารย์aa-jaan is a university lecturer, and also a title of respect for experts, masters and meditation teachers: the "ajarn" of English-speaking Thailand.
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:
- kru
- khru
- kroo
- ajarn
- ajahn
- achan
- arjan
More people in Thai
All people
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Written by the Learn Thai For Free team
Audio: AI voices, quality-checked for tones