มะลิ
má-lí/ma˦˥.liʔ˦˥/
The English word 'jasmine' is translated into Thai as มะลิ (má-lí).
The term refers to the plant of the genus Jasminum.
Meaning: plant of genus Jasminum (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced má-lí. It consists of 2 syllables.
When do people say it?
In Thailand, jasmine is a symbol of Mother's Day and is used to represent a mother's love.
Did you know?
- The root of มะลิ can be traced back to Sanskrit मल्लि, which originally comes from Dravidian languages like Tamil and Malayalam.
- In traditional Thai medicine, extracts from มะลิ are used not just for scent but as a cooling agent to treat fever and inflammation.
- In Thailand, you will often see garlands made of มะลิ petals used as offerings in Buddhist ceremonies or as gifts to show respect to elders.
Examples in context
- ดอกมะลิมีสีขาวdok mali mi si khaoThe jasmine flower is white.
- ฉันชอบกลิ่นดอกมะลิchan chop klin dok maliI like the scent of jasmine.
- คุณแม่ปลูกต้นมะลิไว้ในสวนkhun mae pluk ton mali wai nai suanMother planted a jasmine plant in the garden.
Example conversation
Sirin and Teerapat are walking through a flower market.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinดอกมะลิหอมมากเลยค่ะdok mali hom mak loei khaThe jasmine is very fragrant.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatใช่ครับ กลิ่นสดชื่นดีนะchai khrap klin sot chuen di naYes, the scent is very refreshing.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinธีรภัทรอยากซื้อดอกมะลิไหมคะtheeraphat yak sue dok mali mai khaTeerapat, do you want to buy some jasmine?
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatผมขอซื้อไปฝากคุณแม่ครับphom kho sue pai fak khun mae khrapI will buy some for my mother.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jasmine” translations and entries มะลิ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries มะลิ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
