ตะไคร้
dtà-krái/ta˨˩.kʰraj˦˥/
The English word 'lemongrass' is translated into Thai as ตะไคร้ (dtà-krái).
ตะไคร้ refers to the plant Cymbopogon citratus.
Meaning: Cymbopogon citratus (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced dtà-krái. It has two syllables.
Did you know?
- In Thai traditional medicine, ตะไคร้ is frequently used as a diuretic and to treat digestive issues, not just for flavoring soups.
- The term ตะไคร้ refers specifically to the edible stalk, but in a Thai market, you might see it sold as ตะไคร้หอม if it is the aromatic variety used for essential oils rather than cooking.
- The Thai word ตะไคร้ shares a linguistic root with the Khmer word គ្រៃ, reflecting the deep historical exchange between the two neighboring cultures.
Examples in context
- Khun mii ta-khrai mai? (คุณมีตะไคร้ไหม?)Do you have lemongrass?
- ใส่ตะไคร้ในต้มยำด้วยsai ta-khrai nai tom yum duaiAdd some lemongrass to the tom yum too.
- ฉันชอบกลิ่นตะไคร้มากchan chop klin ta-khrai makI like the scent of lemongrass very much.
- ตะไคร้สดวางอยู่บนโต๊ะta-khrai sot wang yu bon toFresh lemongrass is lying on the table.
Example conversation
A woman and a man are cooking together in a kitchen.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanธนกฤตคะ เราต้องใช้ตะไคร้ไหมtha-na-krit kha rao tong chai ta-khrai maiThanakrit, do we need to use lemongrass?
- ธนกฤต Thanakritใช้ครับ เตรียมตะไคร้ไว้ด้วยนะchai khrap triam ta-khrai wai duai naYes, please prepare some lemongrass too.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanได้ค่ะ ฉันจะไปหยิบตะไคร้เองdai kha chan cha pai yip ta-khrai engOkay, I will go get the lemongrass myself.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritขอบคุณครับกนกวรรณkhop khun khrap ka-nok-wanThank you, Kanokwan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ตะไคร้, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ตะไคร้, CC BY-SA 4.0.
