บุหรี่
bù-rìi/bu˨˩.riː˨˩/
The Thai word for cigarettes is บุหรี่, romanized bù-rìi.
บุหรี่ covers both one cigarette and cigarettes in general, so you can use it when buying a pack or asking if someone smokes.
How does it change in a sentence?
Thai nouns do not change for plural, so บุหรี่ stays the same whether you mean one cigarette or many.
How do you pronounce it?
บุหรี่ has two syllables, said /bu˨˩.riː˨˩/. Both syllables have a low tone, and the second vowel is long, so stretch the ee sound at the end.
Did you know?
- The word บุหรี่ likely traces its roots back to the Persian word for a 'hunting horn'. This connection exists because early tobacco products exported to Siam were wrapped in leaves shaped like a point.
- Thai has a specific cultural concept of 'smoking etiquette' where smoking while walking or in certain public view is often seen as less polite than in the West.
- Due to strict laws and high taxes, you will often see บุหรี่ sold as individual sticks in small kiosks rather than just in full packs.
Examples in context
- เขาไม่สูบบุหรี่khao mai su b u riHe does not smoke cigarettes.
- บุหรี่ราคาแพงมากbu ri ra kha phaeng makCigarettes are very expensive.
- กรุณาอย่าสูบบุหรี่ที่นี่ka ru na ya su bu ri thi niPlease do not smoke cigarettes here.
Example conversation
A man is asking a woman for a lighter in a park.
- วิทวัส Witthawatขอโทษครับ มีไฟแช็กไหมครับkho thot khrap mi fai chaek mai khrapExcuse me, do you have a lighter?
- ณิชา Nichaคุณจะใช้สูบบุหรี่เหรอคะkhun cha chai su bu ri ro khaAre you going to use it to smoke cigarettes?
- วิทวัส Witthawatใช่ครับ ผมขอโทษที่รบกวนchai khrap phom kho thot thi rop kuanYes, I am sorry to bother you.
- ณิชา Nichaไม่เป็นไรค่ะ นี่ค่ะmai pen rai kha ni khaThat's okay, here it is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry บุหรี่, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries บุหรี่, CC BY-SA 4.0.
