Thai classifiers
Find the right classifier
Try a word, phrase or concept (e.g. “bottle”, “wild animal”, “letter”).
What do classifiers serve for?
Classifiers are terms used to categorize or to quantify things or living beings.
The main cases where classifiers are encountered and used are as follows:
1. For counting
In Thai, you would never say "I have two children" using the same structure as in English. You would say:
ผมมีลูกสองคน (phǒm mii lûuk-sɔ̌ɔŋ-khon)
Literally, "I have children, two [classifier]".
→ คน (khon) is here the classifier corresponding to the word "child".
2. For measuring
For elements that cannot be counted, we use an indication of the number of containers. Thus, to say "I will take three bottles of beer", we will use the following structure:
ผมจะเอาเบียร์สามขวด (phǒm cà aw bia sǎam khùat)
Literally, "I will take beer, three [classifier]".
→ ขวด (khùat) is here the classifier that expresses the container, a bottle.
3. To ask a question about a number or quantity
"How many cats do they have?" would be said:
พวกเขามีแมวกี่ตัว (phûak-khǎw mii mɛɛw kìi tua)
Literally, "they have cats, how many [classifier]?"
→ ตัว (tua) is the classifier corresponding to the word "cat".
4. In questions with "which / which one"
To ask "which book do you like?", you would say:
คุณชอบหนังสือเล่มไหน (khun chɔ̂ɔp naŋ-sʉ̌ʉ lêm nǎy)
Literally, "you like the book which [classifier]?"
→ Here, เล่ม (lêm) is the classifier used for books.
5. To designate something (this, that)
"I like that bag" would be said:
ฉันชอบกระเป๋าใบนั้น (chǎn chɔ̂ɔp krà-pǎw bay nán)
Literally, "I like the bag [classifier]-that".
→ ใบ (bay) is here the classifier that corresponds to the word "bag".
6. To say "all", "each", "some", "several"
To say "you must meet each client":
คุณต้องพบลูกค้าทุกคน (khun tɔ̂ɔŋ phóp lûuk-kháa thúk-khon)
Literally, "you must meet the clients, each [classifier]"
→ คน (khon) is here the classifier corresponding to the word "client".
7. To represent a noun
Suppose you are talking about cars, and you want to say "This one is pretty". You could say:
คันนี้สวยดี (khan-níi sǔay-dii)
Literally, "this [classifier]-here is pretty"
→ In this context, the classifier คัน (khan) replaces the word "car".
8. To give an ordinal number
"I like the third pair of shoes" would be said:
ผมชอบรองเท้าคู่ที่สาม (phǒm chɔ̂ɔp rɔɔŋ-tháaw khûu-thîi-sǎam)
Literally, "I like shoes [classifier] third"
→ In this context, the classifier คู่ (khûu) refers to the pair of shoes.
20 essential classifiers
It's difficult to know exactly how many classifiers exist in Thai: it's estimated that there are more than a hundred.
Rather than overwhelming you with an endless list, we've gathered below some of the most commonly used and versatile classifiers. These will help you handle most everyday situations with ease.
| Classifier | Usage | Examples |
|---|---|---|
คนkhon | People | ฉันมีลูกสองคนchǎn mii lûuk-sɔ̌ɔŋ-khonI have two children |
ตัวtua | Animals, clothing, furniture | คุณเห็นนกกี่ตัวkhun hěn nók kìi tuaHow many birds have you seen? |
อันan | Small general objects | คุณกำลังมองหากุญแจอันไหนkhun kam-laŋ mɔɔŋ-hǎa kun-cɛɛ an nǎyWhich keys are you looking for? |
ใบbay | Leaves, hollow objects, rigid bags | กระเป๋าใบนั้นสวยกว่าkrà-pǎw bay nán sǔay-kwàaThat bag is prettier |
คันkhan | Land vehicles, tools | ฉันชอบรถคันนั้นมากกว่าchǎn chɔ̂ɔp rót-khan-nán mâak-kwàaI prefer that car |
เล่มlêm | Books, bound documents, knives | หนังสือเล่มที่สามน่าสนใจมากnaŋ-sʉ̌ʉ lêm-thîi-sǎam nâa-sǒn-cay mâakThe third book is very interesting |
ชิ้นchín | Pieces, parts | ผมกินเนื้อสามชิ้นphǒm kin nʉ́ʉa sǎam chínI have eaten three pieces of meat |
ลูกlûuk | Fruits, vegetables and round objects | ผมต้องซื้อมะเขือม่วงหกลูกphǒm tɔ̂ɔŋ sʉ́ʉ má-khʉʉa-mûaŋ hòk lûukI need to buy six eggplants |
เครื่องkhrʉ̂aŋ | Machines, devices | คอมพิวเตอร์เครื่องนี้แพงกว่าkhɔɔm-phíw-tə̂ə khrʉ̂aŋ-níi phɛɛŋ-kwàaThis computer is more expensive |
หลังlǎŋ | Buildings, houses | คุณพูดถึงบ้านหลังไหนkhun phûut-thʉ̌ŋ bâan lǎŋ nǎyYou are talking about which house? |
แก้วkɛ̂ɛw | Glasses (as containers) | ผมดื่มกาแฟวันละสองแก้วphǒm dʉ̀ʉm-kaa-fɛɛ wan-lá sɔ̌ɔŋ kɛ̂ɛwI drink two cups of coffee per day |
ขวดkhùat | Bottles (as containers) | คุณเอาขวดเบียร์มากี่ขวดkhun aw khùat-bia maa kìi khùatHow many bottles of beer do you bring? |
จานcaan | Plate (as container) | ผมกินข้าวไปสองจานphǒm kin-khâaw pay sɔ̌ɔŋ caanI have eaten two plates of rice |
ที่thîi | Places, locations | ในเมืองนี้มีตลาดสามที่nay mʉʉaŋ-níi mii tà-làat sǎam thîiThere are three markets in this city |
ห้องhɔ̂ɔŋ | Rooms, chambers | บ้านของเขามีห้องน้ำสามห้องbâan khɔ̌ɔŋ-khǎw mii hɔ̂ɔŋ-náam sǎam hɔ̂ɔŋHis house has three bathrooms |
ต้นtôn | Trees, plants | เขาปลูกต้นมะม่วงสองต้นkhǎo plùuk tôn-má-mûaŋ sɔ̌ɔŋ tônHe planted two mango trees |
ครั้งkhrâŋ | Times, occurrences | นี่เป็นครั้งแรกที่มากรุงเทพnîi pen khrâŋ-rɛ̂ɛk thîi-maa kruŋ-thêepThis is the first time I come to Bangkok. |
ถุงthǔŋ | Soft bags, plastic bags (as containers) | พริกถุงละสามสิบบาทครับphrìk thǔŋ-lá sǎam-sìp-bàatThe chilies cost thirty bahts per bag |
แบบbɛ̀ɛp | Types, styles, models | คุณชอบผู้หญิงแบบไหนkhun chɔ̂ɔp phûu-yǐŋ bɛ̀ɛp-nǎyWhat kind of woman do you like? |
อย่างyàaŋ | Types, kinds | มีอาหารห้าอย่างmii aa-hǎan hâa yàaŋThere are five kinds of dishes |
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