พี่

See also: ฟ, พ, พี, and พ.

Thai

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• P' (P')
• พิ (pí)
• เพ่ (pêe)

 

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *biːᴮ (“older sibling”). Cognate with Northern Thai ᨻᩦ᩵, Lao ພີ່ (phī), Lü ᦗᦲᧈ (pii¹), Shan ပီႈ (pīi), Ahom 𑜆𑜣 (pī), Zhuang beix, Bouyei bix.

Pronunciation

Orthographic/Phonemic		พี่ b ī ˋ
Romanization	Paiboon	pîi
	Royal Institute	phi
(standard) IPA(key)		/pʰiː˥˩/(R)
Homophones edit		ผี้ว์

Noun

พี่ • (pîi) (classifier คน)

1. elder brother; elder sister.
2. older person.
3. (colloquial) superior; master; leader; boss.
4. used as a title for or term of address to an elder brother, elder sister, or older person; used by such person as a self-reference when addressing a younger brother, younger sister, or younger person.
5. used as an affectionate title for or affectionate term of address to a beloved, older person; used by such person as a self-reference when addressing a beloved, younger person.
   • 18th century, เจ้าฟ้าธรรมธิเบศไชยเชษฐ์สุริยวงศ์, “บทเห่เรือ พระนิพนธ์เจ้าฟ้าธรรมธิเบศร”, in ประชุมกาพย์เห่เรือ‎^[1], Bangkok: โรงพิมพ์โสภณพิพรรฒธนากร, published 1917, retrieved 2019-09-17:

     ขาวสุดพุดจีบจีน เจ้ามีสีนพี่มีศักดิ์ ทั้งวังเขาชังนัก แต่พี่รักเจ้าคนเดียว

     kǎao sùt pút-jìip jiin · jâao mii sǐin pîi mii sàk · táng wang kǎo chang nák · dtɛ̀ɛ pîi rák jâao kon diao

     [My] whitest Chinese pinwheel, thou art of wealth, I am of worth. Though they, [the people] throughout the palace, hate [thee that] much, I [am] the only one that loveth thee.

6. (colloquial) used as a term of address to a superior, master, leader, or boss; used by such person as a self-reference when addressing a subordinate, inferior, or servant.