Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| พี่ชาย | pîi-chaai | /pʰiː˥˩.t͡ɕʰaːj˧/ |
| พี่ | pîi | /pʰiː˥˩/ |
| น้อง | nɔ́ɔng | /nɔːŋ˦˥/ |
| น้องชาย | nɔ́ɔng-chaai | /nɔːŋ˦˥.t͡ɕʰaːj˧/ |
| ภราดร | pá-raa-dɔɔn | /pʰa˦˥.raː˧.dɔːn˧/ |
| ภราดา | pá-raa-daa | /pʰa˦˥.raː˧.daː˧/ |
Thai uses different words to distinguish whether a brother is older or younger than you. The term พี่ is a shortened form frequently used as a pronoun to address or refer to an older sibling or an older person of a similar age.
What does it mean word for word?
In the terms พี่ชาย and น้องชาย, the component ชาย means "male".
Which one should you use?
Thai distinguishes between older and younger brothers using different words. พี่ชาย specifically refers to an older brother, while น้องชาย refers to a younger brother. The word น้อง can be used to address a younger brother.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ภราดร is a highly formal or literary term for brother, often used in religious or poetic contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To specify that the sibling is male, the word ชาย (male) is appended to the age-based descriptor.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of พี่ชาย is pîi-chaai.
Did you know?
- In Thailand, it is common to call a romantic partner พี่ or น้อง to create a feeling of intimacy and care, regardless of their actual birth order.
- The formal term ภราดร is a linguistic relative of the Sanskrit word 'brother' found in many Indian languages.
- Because 'brother' is often used as a pronoun, using พี่ can replace 'you' or 'I' in polite conversation.
Examples in context
- ทอมสูงกว่าพี่ชายของเขาTom is taller than his brother.This sentence is useful for describing a physical comparison using พี่.Tatoeba #11115659 by Somsak, translation #5834872 by CK
- พี่ชายของฉันยังนอนอยู่?My brother is still sleeping.This sentence is useful for asking about the status of an older brother using พี่.Tatoeba #8675771 by pastelite, translation #278549 by CK
- น้องชายของฉันดูโทรทัศน์My younger brother watches TV.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed by a younger brother using น้อง.Tatoeba #8679151 by pastelite, translation #1123646 by CM
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sirin and Thanakrit are talking about their family at a cafe.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinพี่ชายของคุณทำงานที่ไหน?phi chai khong khun tham ngan thi nai?Where does your older brother work?
- ธนกฤต Thanakritพี่ชายของผมเป็นหมอครับphi chai khong phom pen mor khrapMy older brother is a doctor.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinโห เก่งจังเลยนะho keng chang loei naWow, he is very talented.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritขอบคุณครับkhop khun khrapThank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries พี่ชาย, พี่, น้อง, น้องชาย, ภราดร, ภราดา, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
