See also: คะ

Thai

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Etymology

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From ข้า (kâa, servant, I/me) in พระเจ้าข้า (lit. my lord) or เจ้าข้า (jâo-kâa, lit. my lord). Compare with other Tai languages in which a self-deprecating pronoun literally meaning "servant" or "slave" can be used as a polite particle and/or to say "yes" such as Lao ຂ້ານ້ອຍ (khān ʼa nya), ᦃᦾᧉ (ẋoay²), Khün ᨡ᩶ᩣ, and Shan ၶႃႈ (khāa). Also compare with Northern Thai ᨧᩮᩢ᩶ᩣ (lord, you) which has the opposite meaning of ᨡ᩶ᩣ (servant, I/me), a cognate of ข้า (kâa), and can be used as a polite particle or to say "yes."

Pronunciation

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Orthographicค่ะ
g ˋ a
Phonemic
ค่ะ
g ˋ a
ขะ
kʰ a
RomanizationPaiboon
Royal Institutekhakha
(standard) IPA(key)/kʰaʔ˥˩/(R)/kʰaʔ˨˩/(R)

Interjection

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ค่ะ ()

  1. (formerly used by noblemen, now often employed by women) used to express affirmation, agreement, or acknowledgment.
  2. (formerly used by noblemen, now often employed by women) used to express annoyance or frustration.

Particle

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ค่ะ ()

  1. (formerly used by noblemen, now often employed by women) used at the end of an indicative expression, request, or wish.

Synonyms

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  NODES
Note 1