น้ำ

See also: นำ

Thai

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *C̬.namᶜ (“water”). Cognate with Northern Thai ᨶ᩶ᩣᩴ (nam), Lao ນ້ຳ (nam), Lü ᦓᧄᧉ (nam²), Tai Dam ꪙꪾ꫁ (nam6), Tai Nüa ᥘᥛᥳ (lam5), Shan ၼမ်ႉ (nâ̰m), Bouyei ramx, Zhuang raemx, Saek นัม. Compare Proto-Austronesian *daɬum (“water”) (whence Ilocano danum).

Pronunciation

Orthographic		น้ำ n ˆ å
Phonemic		น้าม n ˆ ā m	[bound form] น้าม- n ˆ ā m –	[bound form] นั้ม- n ạ ˆ m –
Romanization	Paiboon	náam	náam-	nám-
	Royal Institute	nam	nam-	nam-
(standard) IPA(key)		/naːm˦˥/(R)	/naːm˦˥./	/nam˦˥./
Audio

Noun

น้ำ • (náam)

1. water; any liquid or fluid.
   • น้ำดื่ม

     náam dʉ̀ʉm

     drinking water

   • น้ำตก

     náam dtòk

     waterfall

   • น้ำฝน

     náam fǒn

     rainwater

   • น้ำมะพร้าว

     náam má-práao

     coconut water

   • น้ำเค็ม

     náam kem

     salt water (sea water)

   • ช้างน้ำ

     cháang náam

     water elephant (hippopotamus)

   • น้ำหอม

     náam hɔ̌ɔm

     fragrant liquid (perfume)

2. body of water, as lake, river, sea, ocean, etc; water thereof.
3. used as a title for a body of water, often prefixed to its name.
   • น้ำโขง

     náam kǒong

     Mekong River

   • น้ำปิง

     náam bping

     Ping River (in Chiang Mai, Thailand)

4. (slang) semen; discharge thereof upon orgasm; orgasm.
5. (slang) round; occasion; time; period of time.
   • จะทนได้กี่น้ำ

     jà ton dâai gìi náam

     How much further would [a pronoun] bear [with this]?
     (literally) How many times would [a pronoun] bear [with this]?

   • จะไปได้กี่น้ำ

     jà bpai dâai gìi náam

     How much further could [a pronoun] go?
     (literally) How many times could [a pronoun] go?

6. (chiefly in combination) content; essence; main part; material part.
7. (slang) nonessential, immaterial, or nonsensical part of a content; verbose or circumlocutory part of a content; as opposed to เนื้อ (nʉ́ʉa).
8. (of jewelry) glitter; sparkle; sheen; luster.

Classifier

น้ำ • (náam)

1. (slang) Classifier for discharges of semen upon orgasm.
   • แตกสามน้ำ

     dtɛ̀ɛk sǎam náam

     to come three times

2. (somewhat colloquial) Classifier for rounds, times, or occasions, especially in matters or activities concerning water, liquid, or fluid.
   • ต้มสามน้ำ

     dtôm sǎam náam

     to boil (something) three times