ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ
māk khai lang
The English word kidney is translated into Lao as ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ (māk khai lang). Wiktionary also lists ໄຕ (tai).
Meaning: an organ in the body (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ | māk khai lang | |
| ໄຕ | tai | [taj˩(˧)] (narrow) [taj˩˨] (narrow) |
Both ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ and ໄຕ are used to refer to the organ in the body.
What does it mean word for word?
The term ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ literally translates to 'egg behind'.
Which one should you use?
While ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ is the common descriptive term, ໄຕ is a more formal or technical term for kidney used in medical contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
māk khai lang
Did you know?
- The formal term ໄຕ shares its roots with words for 'gizzard' in several related Tai languages.
- In Lao, the word ໝາກ is used as a prefix for many round objects, including fruits and certain organs.
- When ordering kidney in a Lao market or restaurant, you will almost always use ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ rather than the medical term ໄຕ.
Examples in context
- ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງຂອງລາວເຮັດວຽກດີ.mak khai lang khong lao het viak di.His kidney is working well.
- ໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງມີຄວາມສຳຄັນຫຼາຍຕໍ່ຮ່າງກາຍ.mak khai lang mi khwam sam khan lai to hang kai.The kidney is very important to the body.
- ທ່ານຕ້ອງກວດສຸຂະພາບໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງ.than tong kuat su kha phap mak khai lang.You need to check your kidney health.
Example conversation
A person is talking to a doctor about a medical report.
- Aໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງຂອງຂ້ອຍເປັນຫຍັງ?mak khai lang khong khoy pen yang?What is wrong with my kidney?
- Bໝາກໄຂ່ຫຼັງຂອງທ່ານມີບັນຫາໜ້ອຍໜຶ່ງ.mak khai lang khong than mi ban ha noy nueng.Your kidney has a small problem.
- Aມັນຮ້າຍແຮງຫຼາຍບໍ່?man rai haeng lai bo?Is it very serious?
- Bບໍ່ຮ້າຍແຮງ, ທ່ານຄວນດື່ມນ້ຳຫຼາຍໆ.bo rai haeng, than khuan duem nam lai lai.It is not serious, you should drink plenty of water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kidney” translations and entries ໄຕ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ໄຕ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
