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Thai Culture

Thai Culture | ไหว้ (Wâi)

ไหว้ | wâi

ไหว้ is one of Thai culture to show respect to others. There are 3 levels of ‘wâi’ depends on whom you would like to ‘wâi’ to.

1. To a Monk Put your hands together, bow your head, your thumbs are between eyebrows. Index fingers touch the forehead and bend your back. As the following picture;

2. To Senior People Same as wâi to a monk but the thumbs are at nose tip, the index fingers are between eyebrows. As the following picture;
 
3. To Same Age People Put your hands together at your chest level, bow your head a little bit, the thumbs touch under your chin, the index fingers touch your nose, and bend your back a bit. As the following picture;

Vocabulary (คำศัพท์)

English

Thai

Phonetics

culture

วัฒนธรรม

wát-tá-ná-tam

to respect

ทำความเคารพ

tam-kwaam kao-róp

level

ระดับ

rá-dàp

depend on

ขึ้นอยู่กับ

kᵾ̂n-yùu-gàp

monk

พระ

prá

Put hands together

ประนมมือ/พนมมือ

bprà-nom-mᵾᵾ/

pá-nom-mᵾᵾ

bow one’s head

ก้มศีรษะ/ก้มหัว

gôm-sĭi-sà/gôm-hŭa

head

ศีรษะ/หัว

sĭi-sà (formal)/

hŭa (informal)

thumb

นิ้วหัวแม่มือ/นิ้วโป้ง

níu hŭa-mɛ̂ɛ-mᵾᵾ (formal)/

níu-bpôong (informal)

eyebrows

คิ้วkíu
index fingerนิ้วชี้

níu-chíi

touch

แตะdtɛ̀

forehead

หน้าผาก

nâa-pàak

bend one’s backค้อม

kɔ́ɔm

senior people

ผู้อาวุโสกว่าpûu-aa-wú-sŏo gwàa
nose tipปลายจมูก

bplaai-jà-mùuk

between

ระหว่างrá-wàang
same age peopleผู้ที่อายุเท่ากัน

pûu-tîi aa-yú tâo-gan

chest

อก

òk

Woww! Well done! Now you are able to make a beautiful ‘wâi’ to the others!

Hope you enjoy Thai culture 🙂

Jang
Thai Language Teacher