เสี่ยว
sìao/sia̯w˨˩/
The Thai word for 'cringe' is เสี่ยว (sìao).
เสี่ยว is an informal term used to describe something that is cringe-worthy, often due to being overly cheesy, corny or trying too hard to be romantic/cool in an uncool way.
Meaning: secondhand embarrassment (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that something is extremely cringe, you can add the intensifier มาก (mâak) after the word เสี่ยว.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is sìao. The IPA is /sia̯w˨˩/.
Did you know?
- The word เสี่ยว originally comes from a Tai-Kadai word meaning 'friend' or 'close companion' in certain ethnic dialects. It evolved from describing a close bond to describing the 'cheesy' behavior common among close friends.
- In many Isan or Northeastern Thai dialects, the word เสี่ยว still maintains its traditional meaning of 'best friend' or 'companion'. A person traveling through the Isan region might be quite confused if they use it to mean 'cringe' there.
- Using เสี่ยว can actually be a way to tease a friend affectionately. Because it implies a certain level of familiarity, calling someone เสี่ยว suggests you are close enough to mock their lack of coolness.
Example conversation
Nicha and Theeraphat are talking about a romantic movie.
- ณิชา Nichaดูฉากนี้สิ เสี่ยวมากเลยdu chak nii si sieo maak loeiLook at this scene, it's so cringe.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatจริงด้วย ดูแล้วเขินแทนching duai du laeo khoen thaenTrue, I feel embarrassed for them.
- ณิชา Nichaบทพูดมันเสี่ยวจนรับไม่ได้bot phut man sieo chon rap mai daiThe dialogue is too cringe to handle.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatแต่ก็น่ารักดีนะtae ko na rak di naBut it's still kind of cute.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry เสี่ยว, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
