PeopleWoman in Thai
“Woman” in Thai is ผู้หญิงpûu-yǐng; you'll also hear หญิงyǐng (signs, forms) and สาวsǎao (young woman).
woman; girl; female noun everyday
- pûu falling
- yǐng rising
- Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
Classifier: คนkon · person, people
female, women (on signs and forms) noun
- yǐng rising
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
young woman, girl noun
- sǎao rising
- Rising: start low, dip, then rise to the top, like a doubtful “Really?”
You'll hear สาวsǎao in Tao Ngoi (เต่างอย).
How to use it
ผู้หญิงpûu-yǐng is the everyday word for a woman or a girl of any age. Toilet doors and forms use the short หญิงyǐng, and a young woman is สาวsǎao, as in สาวสวยsǎao sǔay, a pretty girl.
You rarely need the word to address someone: Thais call a woman by a family word that fits her age, พี่pîi (a bit older), น้องnáwng (younger) or ป้าbpâa (your parents' age).
Don't mix it up
-
ยิงying
to shoot
Let หญิงyǐng rise like a question. Said flat, it sounds like the word for shooting a gun.
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:
- phu ying
- pu ying
- puying
- phuying
- poo ying
- pooying
- phu-ying
Woman in Thai: questions people ask
How do you say beautiful woman in Thai?
ผู้หญิงสวยpûu-yǐng sǔay, or for a young woman สาวสวยsǎao sǔay. To compliment someone directly, สวยมากsǔay mâak (very beautiful) is enough: see beautiful in Thai.
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