ที่รัก
tîi-rák/tʰiː˥˩.rak̚˦˥/
The Thai word for darling is ที่รัก (tîi-rák).
ที่รัก is used as an affectionate term of address, such as darling or sweetheart. It is commonly used between romantic partners to address one another.
Meaning: often used as an affectionate term of address: person who is very dear to one (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the term is composed of ที่ (place or that which) and รัก (to love), meaning 'the one who is loved' or 'the beloved'.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a noun, ที่รัก does not change its form based on the gender of the speaker or the person being addressed.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tʰiː˥˩.rak̚˦˥/. It has two syllables: tîi-rák.
Did you know?
- If you call a stranger ที่รัก in a crowded market, it may be interpreted as a sales tactic or a scam attempt rather than a compliment.
- The word รัก in ที่รัก is a cognate with the word for love in several other Tai-Kadai languages, reflecting an ancient linguistic family that predates the influence of Sanskrit.
- Thai has many 'levels' of affection, and while ที่รัก is standard, some use เตง 'teng', a playful distortion of the word 'you' ตัวเอง, to sound cuter.
Examples in context
- คนที่รักPerson I love
- คิดถึงที่รักนะครับkhit thueng thi-rak na khrapI miss you, darling.
- วันนี้ที่รักสวยมากwan-ni thi-rak suay makYou look very beautiful today, darling.
- ไปกินข้าวกันไหมที่รักpai kin khao kan mai thi-rakShall we go eat, darling?
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to eat for dinner.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitที่รัก เย็นนี้กินอะไรดีครับthîi-rák yen níi kin à-rai dii khrápDarling, what should we eat this evening?
- พิมล Pimonอยากกินอาหารญี่ปุ่นค่ะyàak kin aa-hǎan yîi-pùn khâI want to eat Japanese food.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitได้เลยครับ ไปร้านประจำกันนะdâi loei khráp pai ráan pra-jam kan náSure, let's go to our usual place.
- พิมล Pimonขอบคุณค่ะที่รักkhòop khun khâ thîi-rákThank you, darling.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darling” translations and entries ที่รัก, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
