ชนแก้ว
chon-gɛ̂ɛo/t͡ɕʰon˧.kɛːw˥˩/
In Thai, 'cheers' can be expressed as ชนแก้ว (chon-gɛ̂ɛo) or ไชโย.
Meaning: toast when drinking (intj)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ชนแก้ว | chon-gɛ̂ɛo | /t͡ɕʰon˧.kɛːw˥˩/ |
| ไชโย | chai-yoo | /t͡ɕʰaj˧.joː˧/ |
ชนแก้ว is the most common way to say 'cheers' specifically when you are about to physically clink glasses with others during a drink.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ชนแก้ว literally means 'clink glasses'. The word ชน (chon) means to collide or bump and แก้ว (gɛ̂ɛo) means glass.
Which one should you use?
While ชนแก้ว is used specifically for the physical act of toasting or clinking glasses, ไชโย is a general exclamation of joy or victory similar to 'hurrah' or 'hooray'.
How do you pronounce it?
chon-gɛ̂ɛo
When do people say it?
When clinking glasses, it is customary to raise your glass slightly lower than the person of higher social status or age.
Did you know?
- While ชนแก้ว is used for drinks, the word ชน is also used in Thai to describe a car accident or a head-on collision.
- The word ชัย (chai) found inside ไชโย is a cognate of the Sanskrit word 'jaya', meaning 'victory', which connects the Thai way of celebrating to ancient Indian linguistic traditions.
- In many Western cultures, 'cheers' is a casual social lubricant, but in Thailand, the act of clinking glasses is often accompanied by rhythmic chanting of ไชโย (chai-yo) to build group energy.
Examples in context
- มาชนแก้วกันเถอะma chon kaeo kan thoeLet's toast together.
- ชนแก้วหน่อยครับchon kaeo noi khrapLet's have a toast, please.
- ขอชนแก้วกับคุณหน่อยkho chon kaeo kap khun noiI would like to toast with you.
Example conversation
At a celebratory dinner at a restaurant.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritวันนี้ดีมาก ชนแก้วกัน!wan ni di mak chon kaeo kan!Today was great, cheers!
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanชนแก้วค่ะ!chon kaeo kha!Cheers!
- ธนกฤต Thanakritขอให้คุณมีความสุขนะkho hai khun mi khwam suk naI wish you happiness.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanขอบคุณค่ะ ธนกฤตkhop khun kha ThanakitThank you, Thanakit.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheers” translations and entries ชนแก้ว, ไชโย, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ชนแก้ว, ไชโย, CC BY-SA 4.0.
