หนู
nǔu/nuː˩˩˦/
The Thai word for mouse is หนู (nǔu).
หนู refers to a rodent of the genus Mus. Additionally, it is used as a personal pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'.
Meaning: rodent of the genus Mus (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
When used as a personal pronoun meaning 'I', หนู is informal and is typically used by females or children.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is nǔu. The IPA is /nuː˩˩˦/.
Did you know?
- In Thai culture, a young woman may continue using หนู to refer to herself well into adulthood when speaking to parents or elders to show humility.
- The word หนู is used for both mice and rats, as Thai does not traditionally distinguish between the two animals by name.
- Using หนู as a pronoun is common in romantic relationships where a woman uses it to sound cute or endearing to her partner.
Examples in context
- ฉันเห็นหนู!I saw a mouse!This sentence is useful for practicing the word หนู in the context of seeing a mouse.Tatoeba #8669088 by pastelite, translation #2406065 by CK
- หนูไม่ได้เป็นสัตว์ใหญ่A mouse is not a large animal.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a หนู.Tatoeba #6633697 by kanacan, translation #6192326 by sundown
- หนูวิ่งอยู่ในครัวnuu wing yu nai khruaA mouse is running in the kitchen.
Example conversation
Chonlasit and Kanokwan are cleaning the house together.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitคุณเห็นหนูตัวนั้นไหมkhun hen nu tua nan maiDid you see that mouse?
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanเห็นค่ะ มันวิ่งไปทางนั้นhen kha man wing pai thang nanYes, it ran that way.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitเราต้องหาทางจับหนูให้ได้rao tong ha thang chap nu hai daiWe have to find a way to catch the mouse.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanใช้กับดักดีกว่าค่ะchai kap dak di kwa khaUsing a trap would be better.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mouse” translations and entries หนู, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
