Thai numerals

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File:Thai numeral 1 - neung.jpg
The notation for the number 1 in Thai language.

Thai numerals (Template:Langx, Template:RTGS, {{#invoke:IPA|main}}) are a set of numerals traditionally used in Thailand, although the Arabic numerals are more common due to extensive westernization of Thailand in the modern Rattanakosin period. Thai numerals follow the Hindu–Arabic numeral system commonly used in the rest of the world. In Thai language, numerals often follow the modified noun and precede a measure word, although variations to this pattern occur.

UsageEdit

The Thai language lacks grammatical number. A count is usually expressed in the form of an uninflected noun followed by a number and a classifier. "Five teachers" is expressed as "teacher five person" {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Template:Langx or with the numeral included Template:Langx.) {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} "person" is a type of referent noun that is also used as the Thai part of speech called in English a linguistic classifier, or measure word. In Thai, counting is kannap ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}; nap is "to count", kan is a prefix that forms a noun from a verb); the classifier, laksananam ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} from laksana characteristic, form, attribute, quality, pattern, style; and nam name, designation, appellation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) Variations to this pattern do occur, and there really is no hierarchy among Thai classifiers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A partial list of Thai words that also classify nouns can be found in Wiktionary category: Thai classifiers

Main numbersEdit

Zero to tenEdit

Thai sūn (zero) is written as oval 0 (number) when using Arabic numerals, but a small circle {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} when using traditional numerals, and also means centre in other contexts.<ref>English-Thai reverse lookup and synonyms</ref> It is from Sanskrit śūnya, as are the (context-driven) alternate names for numbers one to four given below; but not the counting 1 (number).

Thai names for N +1 and the regular digits 2 through 9 as shown in the table, below, resemble those in Chinese varieties (e.g., Cantonese and Min Nan) as spoken in Southern China, the homeland of the overseas Chinese living in South East Asia. In fact, the etymology of Thai numerals 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 is Middle Chinese, while the etymology of Thai numeral 5 is Old Chinese, as illustrated in the table below.<ref name="suthiwan">Template:Cite book</ref>

Number Thai Etymology Southern Sinitic languages
Numeral Written RTGS IPA Archaic Southern Min (Min Nan) Hakka Yue
Hokkien TeoSwa (Teochew / Swatow) Cantonese Hoisanese / Taishanese
Vernacular Literary Vernacular Literary
0 ศูนย์ sun main}} Sanskrit śūnya 空 (khòng, IPA: /kʰɔŋ²¹/⁴¹/) 零 (lêng, IPA: /liɪŋ²⁴/¹³/) 空 (khàng, IPA: /kʰaŋ²¹³/) 零 (lêng, IPA: /leŋ⁵⁵/) 零 (làng, IPA: /laŋ¹¹/) 零 (ling4, IPA: /lɪŋ²¹/) 零 (len3, IPA: /len²²/)
1 หนึ่ง nueng main}} อ้าย (ai) Proto-Tai *{{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 蜀 (chi̍t, IPA: /t͡sit̚⁴/²⁴/¹²¹/) 一 (it, IPA: /it̚³²/⁵/) 蜀 (tse̍k / tse̍h, IPA: /t͡sek̚⁴/, /t͡seʔ⁴/) 一 (ik / ek, IPA: /ik̚²/, /ek̚²/) 一 (yit, IPA: /(j)it̚²/) 一 (yāt / jat1, IPA: /jɐt̚⁵/) 一 (yit2, IPA: /jit̚⁵⁵/)
2 สอง song main}} ยี่ (yi) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> and {{#invoke:IPA|main}}H/<ref name="suthiwan" /> 兩 (nn̄g/nňg/nō͘, IPA: /nŋ̍²²/, /nŋ̍²²/, /nɔ̃²²/), 雙 (siang/sang, IPA: /siaŋ⁴⁴/, /saŋ³³/, lit. "pair") 二 (lī / jī, IPA: /li²²/⁴¹/, /d͡zi²²/), 雙 (song, IPA: /sɔŋ⁴⁴/³³/, lit. "pair") 二/兩 (nŏ, IPA: /no³⁵/), 雙 (sang, IPA: /saŋ³³/, lit. "pair") 二 (jĭ / jī, IPA: /d͡zi³⁵/, /d͡zi¹¹/), 雙 (sang, IPA: /saŋ³³/, lit. "pair") 二 (ngi, IPA: /ŋi⁵⁵/, /ŋi⁵³/), 雙 (sûng, IPA: /suŋ²⁴/, /sʊŋ⁴⁴/, lit. "pair") 二 (yih / ji6, IPA: /jiː²²/, 雙 (soeng1, sung1, lit. "pair" IPA: /sœːŋ⁵⁵/, /sʊŋ⁵⁵/) 二 (ngei5, IPA: /ᵑɡei³²/, 雙 (song1, lit. "pair" IPA: /sɔŋ³³/)
3 สาม sam main}} สาม (sam) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 三 (saⁿ, IPA: /sã⁴⁴/³³/) 三 (sam, IPA: /sam⁴⁴/³³/) 三 (saⁿ, IPA: /sã³³/) 三 (sam, IPA: /sam³³/) 三 (sâm, IPA: /sam²⁴/⁴⁴/) 三 (saam1, IPA: /saːm⁵⁵/) 三 (lham1, IPA: /ɬam³³/)
4 สี่ si main}} ไส (sai) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}H/<ref name="suthiwan" /> 四 (sì, IPA: /si²¹/⁴¹/) 四 (sù / sìr / sì, IPA: /su²¹/, /sɯ⁴¹/, /si⁴¹/) 四 (sì, IPA: /si²¹³/) 四 (sì, IPA: /si²¹³/) 四 (si, IPA: /si⁵⁵/⁵³/) 四 (sei3, si3, IPA: /sei̯³³/, /siː³³/) 四 (lhei1, lhu1, IPA: /ɬei³³/, /ɬu³³/)
5 ห้า ha main}} งั่ว (ngua) Old Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> / Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}} 五 (gō͘ / gǒ͘, IPA: /ɡɔ²²/) 五 (ngó͘ / gó͘, IPA: /ŋɔ̃⁵³/, /ɡɔ⁵⁵⁴/) 五 (ngŏu, IPA: /ŋou³⁵/) 五 (ngóu / ú, IPA: /ŋou⁵²/, /u⁵²/) 五 (ńg, IPA: /ŋ̍³¹/, /n̩³¹/) 五 (ng5, IPA: /ŋ̍¹³/) 五 (m2, IPA: /m̩⁵⁵/)
6 หก hok main}} ลก (lok) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 六 (la̍k, IPA: /lak̚⁴/²⁴/¹²¹/) 六 (lio̍k, IPA: /liɔk̚⁴/²⁴/¹²¹/) 六 (la̍k, IPA: /lak̚⁴/) 六 (la̍k, IPA: /lak̚⁴/) 六 (liuk, IPA: /li̯uk̚²/, /liʊk̚¹/) 六 (luk6, IPA: /lʊk̚²/) 六 (luuk5, IPA: /lɵk̚³²/)
7 เจ็ด chet main}} เจ็ด (chet) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 七 (chhit, IPA: /t͡sʰit̚³²/⁵/) 七 (chhit, IPA: /t͡sʰit̚³²/⁵/) 七 (tshik / tshek, IPA: /t͡sʰik̚²/, /t͡sʰek̚²/) 七 (tshik / tshek, IPA: /t͡sʰik̚²/, /t͡sʰek̚²/) 七 (chhit, IPA: /t͡sʰit̚²/¹/) 七 (cat1, IPA: /t͡sʰɐt̚⁵/) 七 (tit2, IPA: /tʰit̚⁵⁵/)
8 แปด paet main}} แปด (paet) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 八 (poeh / peh, IPA: /pueʔ³²/⁵/, /peʔ³²/) 八 (pat, IPA: /pat̚³²/⁵/) 八 (poih, IPA: /poiʔ²/) 八 (poih, IPA: /poiʔ²/) 八 (pat, IPA: /pat̚²/¹/) 八 (baat3, IPA: /paːt̚³/) 八 (bat1, IPA: /pat̚³³/)
9 เก้า kao main}} เจา (chao) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 九 (káu, IPA: /kau⁵³/⁵⁵⁴/) 九 (kiú, IPA: /kiu⁵³/⁵⁵⁴/) 九 (káu, IPA: /kau⁵²/) 九 (kiú, IPA: /kiu⁵²/) 九 (kiú, IPA: /ki̯u³¹/) 九 (gau2, IPA: /kɐu̯³⁵/) 九 (giu2, IPA: /kiu⁵⁵/)
10 ๑๐ สิบ sip main}} จ๋ง (chong) Middle Chinese {{#invoke:IPA|main}}<ref name="suthiwan" /> 十 (cha̍p, IPA: /t͡sap̚⁴/²⁴/¹²¹/) 十 (si̍p, IPA: /sip̚⁴/²⁴/¹²¹/) 十 (tsa̍p / tsa̍k, IPA: /t͡sap̚⁴/, /t͡sak̚⁴/) 十 (tsa̍p / tsa̍k, IPA: /t͡sap̚⁴/, /t͡sak̚⁴/) 十 (sṳ̍p, IPA: /sɨp̚⁵/, /səp̚⁵/) 十 (sap6, IPA: /sɐp̚²/) 十 (sip5, IPA: /sip̚³²/)

Numerical digit characters, however, are almost identical to Khmer numerals. Thai and Lao words for numerals are almost identical, however, the numerical digits vary somewhat in shape. Shown above is a comparison between three languages using Cantonese and Minnan characters and pronunciations. Shown below is a comparison between three languages using Khmer numerals: Thai, Khmer, and Lao. The Thai transliteration uses the Royal Thai General System of Transcription (RTGS).

Number Thai Khmer Lao
Numeral Written RTGS IPA Archaic Numeral Written IPA Numeral Written IPA
0 ศูนย์ sun main}} (Sanskrit śūnya) lang}} main}} ສູນ main}}
1 หนึ่ง nueng main}} อ้าย (ai) lang}} main}} ນຶ່ງ main}}
2 สอง song main}} ยี่ (yi) lang}} main}} ສອງ main}}
3 สาม sam main}} สาม (sam) lang}} main}} ສາມ main}}
4 สี่ si main}} ไส (sai) lang}} main}} ສີ່ main}}
5 ห้า ha main}} งั่ว (ngua) lang}} main}} ຫ້າ main}}
6 หก hok main}} ลก (lok) lang}} main}} ຫົກ main}}
7 เจ็ด chet main}} เจ็ด (chet) lang}} main}} ເຈັດ main}}
8 แปด paet main}} แปด (paet) lang}} main}} ແປດ main}}
9 เก้า kao main}} เจา (chao) lang}} main}} ເກົ້າ main}}
10 ๑๐ สิบ sip main}} จ๋ง (chong) ១០ lang}} main}} ໑໐ ສິບ main}}

Ten to a millionEdit

Sanskrit lakh designates the place value of a digit (tamnaeng khong tua lek, ตําแหน่งของตัวเลข), which are named for the powers of ten: the unit's place is lak nuai (หลักหน่วย); ten's place, lak sip (หลักสิบ); hundred's place, lak roi (หลักร้อย), and so forth.<ref>Online Royal Institute Dictionary Template:Webarchive, 1999 edition: select "ห" and enter หลัก</ref> The number one following any multiple of sip becomes et (Cantonese: 一, yat1; Minnan: 一, it4). The number ten (sip) is the same as Literary Hokkien 十 (si̍p). Numbers from twenty to twenty nine begin with yi sip (Cantonese: 二十 (yi6sap6); Hokkien: 二十 (lī-cha̍p / jī-cha̍p / gī-cha̍p); Teochew: 二十 (jĭ tsa̍p)). Names of the lak sip for 30 to 90, and for the lak of 100, 1000, 10,000, 100,000 and million, are almost identical to those of the like Khmer numerals.

Number Thai RTGS IPA Notes
10 ๑๐ สิบ sip main}}
11 ๑๑ สิบเอ็ด sip et main}} nueng for just 1, et for 1 as the ending digit in other cases
12 ๑๒ สิบสอง sip song main}}
20 ๒๐ ยี่สิบ yi sip main}} yi for 2 as the tens digit, song in other cases
21 ๒๑ ยี่สิบเอ็ด yi sip et main}}
22 ๒๒ ยี่สิบสอง yi sip song main}}
30 ๓๐ สามสิบ sam sip main}}
31 ๓๑ สามสิบเอ็ด sam sip et main}}
32 ๓๒ สามสิบสอง sam sip song main}}
100 ๑๐๐ ร้อย roi main}}
1 000 ๑๐๐๐ พัน phan main}}
10 000 ๑๐๐๐๐ หมื่น muen main}} From Middle Chinese 萬 /mʉɐnH/.

Compare Hokkien 萬 (bān), TeoSwa 萬 (buēng / buāng), Cantonese 萬 (maan6), Hakka 萬 (van), Japanese 万 (まん, man), Korean 만 (萬, man), Vietnamese vạn / muôn / man (萬/𨷈)

100 000 ๑๐๐๐๐๐ แสน saen main}} Compare Burmese Template:Linktext (thein, spelt sin)
1 000 000 ๑๐๐๐๐๐๐ ล้าน lan main}}

For the numbers twenty-one through twenty-nine, the part signifying twenty: yi sip (ยี่สิบ), may be colloquially shortened to yip (ยีบ).Template:Citation needed See the alternate numbers section below.

The hundreds are formed by combining roi with the tens and ones values. For example, two hundred and thirty-two is song roi sam sip song. The words roi, phan, muen, and saen should occur with a preceding numeral (nueng is optional), so two hundred ten, for example, is song roi sip, and one hundred is either roi or nueng roi. Nueng never precedes sip, so song roi nueng sip is incorrect. Native speakers will sometimes use roi nueng (or phan nueng, etc.) with different tones on nueng to distinguish one hundred from one hundred and one. However, such distinction is often not made, and ambiguity may follow. To resolve this problem, if the number 101 (or 1001, 10001, etc.) is intended, one should say roi et (or phan et, muen et, etc.).

Numbers above a millionEdit

Numbers above a million are constructed by prefixing lan with a multiplier. For example, ten million is sip lan, and a trillion (1012, a long scale billion) is lan lan.

Decimal and fractional numbersEdit

Colloquially, decimal numbers are formed by saying chut (จุด, dot) where the decimal separator is located. For example, 1.01 is nueng chut sun nueng (หนึ่งจุดศูนย์หนึ่ง).

Fractional numbers are formed by placing nai (ใน, in, of) between the numerator and denominator or using [set] x suan y ([เศษ] x ส่วน y, x parts of the whole y) to clearly indicate. For example, Template:1/3 is nueng nai sam (หนึ่งในสาม) or [set] nueng suan sam ([เศษ]หนึ่งส่วนสาม). The word set (เศษ) can be omitted.

The word khrueng (ครึ่ง) is used for "half". It precedes the measure word if used alone, but it follows the measure word when used with another number. For example, kradat khrueng phaen (กระดาษครึ่งแผ่น) means "half sheet of paper", but kradat nueng phaen khrueng (กระดาษหนึ่งแผ่นครึ่ง) means "one and a half sheets of paper".

Negative numbersEdit

Negative numbers are formed by placing lop (ลบ, minus) in front of the number. For example, −11 is lop sip et (ลบสิบเอ็ด).

Ordinal numbersEdit

Ordinal numbers are formed by placing thi (ที่, place) in front of the number. They are not considered a special class of numbers, since the numeral still follows a modified noun, which is thi in this case.

Thai RTGS IPA meaning
ที่หนึ่ง thi nueng main}} first
ที่สอง thi song main}} second
ที่สาม thi sam main}} third
ที่สี่ thi si main}} fourth
ที่# thi # main}} #st, #nd, #rd, #th

Alternative numbersEdit

AiEdit

Ai (Template:Langx) is used for "first born (son)" or for the first month, duean ai (เดือนอ้าย), of the Thai lunar calendar.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999); select อ enter อ้าย</ref>

EkEdit

Ek (Template:Langx) is from Pali ḗka, "one" <ref>Digital Dictionaries of South Asia Sir Ralph Lilley Turner (1888-1983) A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages entry 2462</ref> Ek is used for one (quantity); first (rank), more prominent than tho โท second, in tone marks, education degrees and military ranks; and for the lead actor in a role. In antiquity, a seventh daughter was called luk ek (ลูกเอก), though a seventh son was luk chet (ลูกเจ็ด).<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select อ enter เอก</ref>

EtEdit

Et (Template:Langx, Cantonese: 一, jat1; Minnan: 一, it4), meaning "one", is used as last member in a compound number (see the main numbers section above).

ThoEdit

Tho (Template:Langx) is from Pali dūā, "two".<ref>Digital Dictionaries of South Asia Sir Ralph Lilley Turner (1888-1983) A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages entry 6455</ref> Tho is used for two and for the second-level rank in tone marks, education degrees and military ranks.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ท enter โท</ref>

YiEdit

Yi (Template:Langx, Cantonese: 二, ji6; Minnan: 二, ji7) is still used in several places in Thai language for the number two, apart from song (สอง): to construct twenty (two tens) and its combinations twenty-one through twenty-nine; to name the second month, duean yi (เดือนยี่), of the traditional Thai lunar calendar; and in the Thai northern dialect thin pha yap (ถิ่นพายัพ), in which it refers to the Year of the Tiger.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ย enter ยี่</ref>

Tri & TraiEdit

Tri ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) and trai ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) are from Sanskrit trāyaḥ, "three".<ref>Digital Dictionaries of South Asia Sir Ralph Lilley Turner (1888-1983) A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages entry 5994</ref> These alternatives are used for three; third rank in tone marks, education degrees and military ranks; and as a prefix meaning three(fold).<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ต enter ไตร</ref>

ChattawaEdit

Chattawa ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}) is the Pali numeral four; used for the fourth tone mark and as a prefix meaning fourth in order or quadruple in number.

LoEdit

Lo (Template:Langx) means a dozen or twelve. It is usually used for trade. It may also mean jar or bottle.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ห enter โหล</ref>

YipEdit

Yip (Template:Langx) in colloquial Thai is an elision or contraction of yi sip (ยี่สิบ) at the beginning of numbers twenty-one through twenty-nine. Therefore, one may hear yip et (ยีบเอ็ด, ยิบเอ็ด), yip song (ยีบสอง, ยิบสอง), up to yip kao (ยีบเก้า, ยิบเก้า). Yip may have a long vowel (ยีบ) or be elided further into a short vowel (ยิบ).

SaoEdit

Sao (Template:Langx) is twenty in the Thai northern dialect<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ซ enter ซาว</ref> and in the Isan language. It is related to xao (ຊາວ), the word for twenty in the Lao language.

KurutEdit

Kurut (Template:Langx) means a dozen dozen or 144. It is usually used for trade. It is a loanword from gross.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ก enter กุรุส</ref>

KotEdit

Kot (Template:Langx) is ten million used in religious context. It comes from Pali/Sanskrit kōṭi.<ref>ORID Template:Webarchive (Online Royal Institute Dictionary (1999), select ก enter โกฏิ</ref> See also crore.

Tone marks, education degrees and military ranksEdit

The alternate set of numerals used to name tonal marks (ไม้, mai), educational degrees (ปริญญา, parinya), and military rankings derive from names of Sanskrit numerals.

Number Tonal Mark Educational Degree Military Ranking in the Royal Thai Army
Thai RTGS Value Mark Thai RTGS Tone Thai RTGS Degree Thai RTGS Meaning
เอก ek first -่ ไม้เอก mai ek first tone ปริญญาเอก parinya ek doctor's พลเอก phon ek General
พันเอก phan ek Colonel
ร้อยเอก roi ek Captain
จ่าสิบเอก cha sip ek Master Sgt. 1st Class
สิบเอก sip ek Sergeant (Sgt.)
โท tho second -้ ไม้โท mai tho second tone ปริญญาโท parinya tho master's พลโท phon tho Lieutenant General
พันโท phan tho Lieutenant Colonel
ร้อยโท roi tho Lieutenant
จ่าสิบโท cha sip tho Master Sgt. 2nd Class
สิบโท sip tho Corporal
ตรี tri third -๊ ไม้ตรี mai tri third tone ปริญญาตรี parinya tri bachelor's พลตรี phon tri Major general
พันตรี phan tri Major
ร้อยตรี roi tri Sub Lieutenant
จ่าสิบตรี cha sip tri Master Sgt. 3rd Class
สิบตรี sip tri Lance Corporal
จัตวา chattawa fourth -๋ ไม้จัตวา mai chattawa fourth tone พลจัตวา phon chattawa Brigadier General (Honorary)

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit