ຕົວເລກ
tua lek
The Lao word for "numbers" is ຕົວເລກ (tua lek).
ຕົວເລກ is used to refer to symbols that represent quantities or values.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of ຕົວ (tua), meaning "body", "form" or "character" and ເລກ (lek), meaning "number" or "digit".
How do you pronounce it?
tua lek
Did you know?
- While ຕົວເລກ is the general word for numbers, Lao uses entirely different sets of numbers when counting things like monks or royal members.
- The Lao number for 'zero' is ສູນ, which is a homophone for the word meaning 'center' or 'middle'.
- In Lao culture, the number 9 is considered extremely lucky because it sounds like the word for 'stepping forward' or 'progress'.
Examples in context
- ຂ້ອຍມັກຕົວເລກນີ້.khoy mak tua lek ni.I like this number.
- ກະລຸນາຂຽນຕົວເລກລົງໃນນີ້.ka lu na khian tua lek long nai ni.Please write the numbers here.
Example conversation
A student is asking a teacher about writing numbers.
- Aອາຈານຂຽນຕົວເລກນີ້ແນວໃດ?a chan khian tua lek ni naew dai?Teacher, how do you write this number?
- Bເຈົ້າຂຽນແບບນີ້ເດີ້.chao khian baep ni der.You write it like this.
- Aເຂົ້າໃຈແລ້ວ, ຂອບໃຈອາຈານ.khao chai laew, khop chai a chan.I understand, thank you teacher.
- Bບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງ.bor pen yang.You're welcome.
