อี๋
ew
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 ew、yuck、ugh [disgust]
- 2 sweet flour-ball dessert
It is most commonly an exclamation like “ew” or “yuck.” It can also refer to a Chinese-style dessert made of small flour balls cooked in a sweet liquid.
ew、yuck、ugh [disgust]
A casual exclamation used as an immediate reaction to something dirty, smelly, creepy, or otherwise disgusting.
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อี๋ สกปรก! ǐi sòkkapròk Ew, that’s dirty! อี๋ สกปรก! details
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อี๋ เหม็นมาก ǐi měn mâak Ugh, it smells awful. อี๋ เหม็นมาก details
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อี๋ ไม่เอา ǐi mây aw Ew, no thanks. อี๋ ไม่เอา details
sweet flour-ball dessert
A Chinese-style sweet consisting of small round flour-based dumplings cooked in syrup or another sweet liquid, sometimes served for traditional celebrations.
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ขนมอี๋ khànǒmǐi glutinous rice balls in sweet syrup ขนมอี๋ details
Learning notes
Explanation
In modern everyday speech, the interjection is the most useful sense. It expresses an immediate feeling of disgust toward dirt, insects, bad smells, unpleasant food, or anything similarly off-putting. It can stand alone or be followed by the reason, as in อี๋ สกปรก! (“Ew, that’s dirty!”). Among friends, it may also be used playfully to mock something overly romantic, sentimental, or embarrassing. As a noun, it usually appears as ขนมอี๋, the name of a Chinese-style round dumpling dessert. Some dictionaries record older uses of อี๋ as a verb or in fixed expressions, but these are not important standalone uses for most modern beginners.
Usage
The interjection is used in casual conversation when reacting to a bad smell, dirt, bugs, unpleasant food, or something socially awkward. The noun sense occurs mainly when discussing Chinese-influenced food traditions, celebrations, and desserts.
Caution
Saying อี๋ about someone’s appearance, cooking, or culture can sound openly insulting, as if calling it disgusting or dirty. Avoid it in polite settings; use a softer expression such as ไม่ค่อยชอบ (“I don’t really like it”) or ไม่เอาค่ะ/ครับ (“No, thank you”).
Differences from similar words
2 sweet flour-ball dessert synonyms
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บัวลอย is a common Thai dessert of glutinous-rice balls in sweet coconut milk. อี๋ refers to a Chinese-style dessert; its ingredients, sweet liquid, and cultural setting may differ.