Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ขี้เหล้า | kîi-lâo | /kʰiː˥˩.law˥˩/ |
| เมาเหล้า | mao lâo |
The term เมา is the most common and neutral way to say one is drunk. However, it is versatile. It can describe being intoxicated by alcohol, feeling dizzy or motion sick (such as car sick), feeling stunned or even being figuratively "drunk" on things like love or fame. If you specifically want to describe feeling dizzy or lightheaded due to alcohol, you might use มึน.
What does it mean word for word?
In the term ขี้เหล้า, the prefix ขี้ literally means excrement or feces. When used as a prefix for a person's habit, it functions as a derogatory term for someone who is addicted to or a chronic user of something.
Which one should you use?
While เมาเหล้า describes the temporary state of being intoxicated from alcohol, ขี้เหล้า often implies that a person is a habitual or heavy drinker.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ขี้เหล้า is informal and carries a negative, derogatory connotation, often used to insult someone's character as a drunkard. The related noun นักเลงสุรา can be used to refer to a habitual drinker.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In common usage, the word เหล้า (alcohol) is often dropped and you can simply use เมา to mean "drunk".
How do you pronounce it?
kîi-lâo (/kʰiː˥˩.law˥˩/)
Did you know?
- While ขี้เหล้า is a derogatory term for a drunkard, the prefix ขี้ is used in many other common Thai words to describe a personality trait or habit.
- The term นักเลงสุรา refers to a habitual drinker and uses a more formal word for alcohol, สุรา, which is often found on official warning labels.
- The word เมา is used to describe motion sickness, such as 'car sick' or 'sea sick', because Thai speakers view these feelings as a form of intoxication.
Example sentences for Thai are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Thanakrit and Pimon are discussing a neighbor.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritคุณเห็นลุงข้างบ้านไหมkhun hen lung khang ban maiDid you see the uncle next door?
- พิมล Pimonเห็นค่ะ เขาดูขี้เหล้ามากhen kha khao du khi lao makYes, he looks like a real drunkard.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritเขาดื่มหนักทุกวันเลยkhao duem nak thuk wan loeiHe drinks heavily every day.
- พิมล Pimonน่าสงสารเขาจังna song saran khao changI feel so sorry for him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries ขี้เหล้า, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
