เผ็ดนิดหน่อย
phet nit noi
In Thai, "a little bit spicy" is said as เผ็ดนิดหน่อย (phet nit noi).
This phrase is used to describe food that has a small amount of heat or spice. When ordering food, adding the polite particles ครับ (khrap) for males or ค่ะ (kha) for females to the end of the phrase is the standard way to communicate with a vendor.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase เผ็ดนิดหน่อย is composed of เผ็ด (phet) meaning 'spicy' and นิดหน่อย (nit noi) meaning 'a little bit'.
Which one should you use?
You can use เผ็ดนิดเดียว to emphasize that the spiciness is extremely minimal, almost negligible. The expression เผ็ดนิดๆ means "a little bit spicy" with emphasis on the mildness.
How does it change in a sentence?
Replacing นิดหน่อย with นิดเดียว (nit diao) emphasizes that the spiciness is extremely minimal, almost negligible.
How do you pronounce it?
phet nit noi
Did you know?
- Thai people often use the phrase เผ็ดจนหูอื้อ (phet chon hu ue) to describe food that is the opposite of เผ็ดนิดหน่อย. It literally means 'so spicy that my ears are ringing'.
- The word เผ็ด (phet) can also be used metaphorically to describe a person with a sharp, fierce or assertive personality. In this context, it has nothing to do with food or heat.
- Thai has a specific distinction between the heat of chilies, เผ็ด (phet), and the aromatic 'spiciness' of ginger or pepper. While เผ็ดนิดหน่อย describes chili heat, other terms are used for warmth from herbs.
Examples in context
- ผมชอบรสชาติเผ็ดน้อยครับI like a mildly spicy flavor.
- ใส่เผ็ดเล็กน้อยได้เลยครับSure, I can make it a little bit spicy for you.
- เผ็ดนิดหน่อยเอาไหมDo you want it a little bit spicy?
- รสชาตินี้เผ็ดนิดหน่อยrot-chat ni phet nit noiThis flavor is a little bit spicy.
- ฉันชอบแบบเผ็ดนิดหน่อยchan chop baep phet nit noiI like it a little bit spicy.
- แกงจานนี้เผ็ดนิดหน่อยนะคะkaeng chan ni phet nit noi na khaThis curry is a little bit spicy.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are ordering food at a street food stall.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatสิรินทร์อยากกินแบบไหนครับSirin yak kin baep nai khrapHow would you like to eat it, Sirin?
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเอาแบบเผ็ดนิดหน่อยค่ะao baep phet nit noi khaI'll take it a little bit spicy.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatได้ครับ เดี๋ยวจัดให้ครับdai khrap diao chat hai khrapOkay, I'll get that ready for you.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinขอบคุณมากค่ะkhop khun mak khaThank you very much.
