ศูนย์
sǔun/suːn˩˩˦/
The English number "zero" is expressed in Thai as ศูนย์ (sǔun).
ศูนย์ is used as the cardinal number representing the value before 1, denoting nothing.
Meaning: cardinal number before 1, denoting nothing (num)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is sǔun. The IPA is /suːn˩˩˦/.
Did you know?
- The word ศูนย์ is a homonym in Thai, meaning both 'zero' and 'center'. Because of this, the same word is used for a 'shopping center' or a 'service center'.
- The Thai word for 'zero', ศูนย์, is actually a loanword from Sanskrit via Old Khmer. It is part of a large family of related terms across Southeast Asia, including Burmese and Lao.
- While ศูนย์ is the standard term for the digit, when Thai speakers talk about 'zero' in a way that implies a total absence or 'nothing at all', they may use the word ไม่มี (mâi mii) instead.
Examples in context
- อุณหภูมิคือศูนย์องศาun-ha-phim khue sun ong-saThe temperature is zero degrees.
- คะแนนสอบของเขาเป็นศูนย์kha-naen sop khong khao pen sunHis exam score is zero.
- เริ่มนับจากศูนย์roem nap chak sunStart counting from zero.
Example conversation
Two people are checking the score of a sports game.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitตอนนี้คะแนนเป็นเท่าไหร่ครับton-ni kha-naen pen thao-rai khrapWhat is the score right now?
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanทีมนั้นได้ศูนย์คะแนนค่ะthim nan dai suun kha-naen khaThat team has zero points.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitแย่จังเลยนะครับyae jang loei na khrapThat is too bad.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanใช่ค่ะ เขายังทำแต้มไม่ได้เลยchai kha khao yang tham taem mai dai loeiYes, they haven't scored yet.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ศูนย์, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ศูนย์, CC BY-SA 4.0.
