น่ารัก
nâa-rák/naː˥˩.rak̚˦˥/
The Thai word for lovely is น่ารัก (nâa-rák).
น่ารัก means lovely, cute or charming. While it can be used in a general sense to describe something pleasing in form, tone or manner, it is most frequently used to describe someone or something as being cute or adorable.
Meaning: beautiful, charming, very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of nâa, meaning worthy of and rák, meaning to love, literally translating to "worthy of being loved".
Which one should you use?
Use น่ารัก when you want to emphasize charm and cuteness. If you are specifically referring to physical beauty or aesthetic elegance, you should use สวย instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "very lovely" or "very cute", add the word มาก after the adjective to form น่ารักมาก.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is nâa-rák.
Did you know?
- In Thai, calling an adult woman น่ารัก can sometimes feel patronizing or diminish her status, as the word carries a strong connotation of 'cuteness' often reserved for children or pets.
- In modern Thai slang, น่ารัก can be used sarcastically to describe someone who is being cheeky or acting in a way that is 'too cute for their own good'.
- When describing a child, saying they are น่ารัก is often a comment on their obedience and good manners rather than their facial features.
Examples in context
- ช่างน่ารักจริง ๆ!How lovely!This sentence uses น่ารัก to express an exclamation of how lovely something is.Tatoeba #8722705 by pastelite, translation #1913086 by CK
- คุณมีดวงตาที่น่ารัก หรือไม่ใช่You have lovely eyes, don't you?This sentence uses น่ารัก to describe someone's eyes.Tatoeba #7784175 by pastelite, translation #16879 by CK
- มาฟังเรื่องน่ารักของคู่นี้ดีกว่าLet's hear some lovely stories of this couple!This sentence uses น่ารัก to describe stories.
- เธอน่ารักและสวยมากShe is very cute and lovely.
- สุนัขเล็กตัวนี้น่ารักมากThis small dog is so cute and lovely.
- ที่นี่เป็นสวนที่น่าอยู่มากThis is a garden that is very lovely to be in.
Example conversation
Teerapat and Sirin are looking at a photo of a puppy.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatลูกหมาตัวนี้ช่างน่ารักจริง ๆluk ma tua ni chang na-rak ching chingThis puppy is truly lovely.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinใช่ค่ะ มันน่ารักมากเลยchai kha man na-rak mak loeiYes, it is very lovely.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatคุณอยากเลี้ยงมันไหมkhun yak liang man maiDo you want to raise it?
- สิรินทร์ Sirinอยากค่ะ มันดูน่ารักดีyak kha man du na-rak diI do, it looks lovely.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry น่ารัก, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
