Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ภูเขา | puu-kǎo | /pʰuː˧.kʰaw˩˩˦/ |
| ภู | puu | /pʰuː˧/ |
| เขา | kǎo | /kʰaw˩˩˦/ /kʰaw˦˥/ |
| ดอย | dɔɔi | /dɔːj˧/ |
The term refers to a large mass of earth and rock. While ภูเขา is the standard term, other forms exist depending on the poetic style or the specific region of Thailand being discussed.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ภูเขา is a compound of ภู, which is a poetic term for a mountain or hill and เขา, which can mean mountain or horn.
Which one should you use?
ภูเขา is the standard word for mountain. The form ภู is a shortened, poetic version that is rarely used in everyday conversation on its own. The word เขา can also mean mountain, but it also carries the meaning of horn.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ภู is considered poetic and is rarely used in everyday conversation alone.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Thailand, the word ดอย is specifically used to refer to mountains.
How do you pronounce it?
The two-syllable word puu-kǎo is pronounced /pʰuː˧.kʰaw˩˩˦/.
Did you know?
- The formal word ภู has roots in Sanskrit, the ancient liturgical language of much of South and Southeast Asia.
Examples in context
- ภูเขาเอเวอเรสต์เป็นภูเขาที่สูงที่สุดในโลกMt. Everest is the highest mountain in the world.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the poetic form ภู in a sentence about Mount Everest.Tatoeba #8743274 by pastelite, translation #65301 by CK
- ฉันต้องการเดินขึ้น ดอย ในเมืองเชียงใหม่I want to hike up the mountain in Chiang Mai.
- ฉันชอบมองดูภูเขาตอนเช้าchan chop mong du phukhao ton chaoI like looking at the mountains in the morning.
- มีภูเขาอยู่หลังบ้านของฉันmi phukhao yu lang ban khong chanThere is a mountain behind my house.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are planning a hiking trip during a weekend.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanสุดสัปดาห์นี้เราไปเดินป่าที่ภูเขากันไหมsut sapda ni rao pai doen pa thi phukhao kan maiShall we go hiking at the mountain this weekend?
- ธนกฤต Thanakritได้เลยครับ ผมอยากไปพักผ่อนพอดีdai loei khrap phom yak pai phak phon pho diSure, I was just looking for a way to relax.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanเตรียมรองเท้าสำหรับเดินบนภูเขาด้วยนะtriam rong thao samrap doen bon phukhao duai naPrepare your shoes for walking on the mountain too.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritตกลงครับ ผมจะเตรียมไปให้พร้อมtok long khrap phom cha triam pai hai phromOkay, I will get everything ready.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mountain” translations and entries ภูเขา, ภู, เขา, ดอย, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ดอย, ภู, ภูเขา, เขา, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
