ม้า
horse
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 horse
- 2 money mule、criminal nominee
- 3 shill、plant
- 4 knight [chess]、horse piece
ม้า primarily means “horse.” It also refers to a legged seat and the knight in chess. In compounds such as บัญชีม้า (“mule account”) and หน้าม้า (“shill”), it suggests a person or mechanism used to act on someone else’s behalf.
horse
A horse: the large domesticated animal used for riding, racing, and pulling loads or vehicles.
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ขี่ม้า khìi máa ride a horse ขี่ม้า details
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เขาเลี้ยงม้าสองตัว khǎw líaŋ máa sɔ̌ɔŋ tua He keeps two horses. เขาเลี้ยงม้าสองตัว details
money mule、criminal nominee
A “mule” used to receive or move money for criminals, especially through an account opened or provided under another person’s name. This sense is most common in บัญชีม้า.
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เปิดบัญชีม้าให้แก๊งคอลเซ็นเตอร์ pə̀ət banchii máa hây kɛ́ɛŋ khɔɔn sentəə open a mule account for a call-center scam gang เปิดบัญชีม้าให้แก๊งคอลเซ็นเตอร์ details
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อย่ารับจ้างเปิดบัญชีม้า yàa ráp câaŋ pə̀ət banchii máa Do not accept payment to open a mule account. อย่ารับจ้างเปิดบัญชีม้า details
shill、plant
A shill who pretends to be an ordinary customer or neutral party in order to promote something or influence others. It commonly appears as หน้าม้า and may be shortened to ม้า in casual speech.
knight [chess]、horse piece
The horse-shaped game piece used in chess and Thai chess; in international chess, it is the knight.
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เดินม้า dəən máa move the knight เดินม้า details
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ม้าตัวนี้กินเบี้ยได้ máa tua níi kin bîa dâay This knight can capture the pawn. ม้าตัวนี้กินเบี้ยได้ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core meaning is “horse.” Horses take the classifier ตัว, as in ม้าสองตัว, “two horses.” By extension from the horse’s long body and the idea of sitting astride it, ม้า can also mean a backless seat or supporting stand. Specific objects are commonly named with compounds such as ม้านั่ง, “bench.” Several figurative compounds are important. ม้ามืด is a “dark horse,” an overlooked person or team that performs unexpectedly well. บัญชีม้า is a bank account supplied or opened under someone else’s name and used to receive or transfer criminal proceeds. หน้าม้า is a shill who poses as a genuine customer or neutral party. In some Thai Chinese families, ม้า is also used for “mother” or “Mom,” reflecting Chinese usage. The general Thai word for “mother” is แม่.
Usage
The animal sense is common in discussions of riding, farms, racing, history, and stories. The seat sense appears in furniture and equipment names, while the game-piece sense is used when discussing chess or Thai chess. บัญชีม้า frequently appears in bank warnings and news about online scams, money laundering, and criminal investigations. หน้าม้า is used critically when discussing sales tactics, auctions, advertising, or fake online reviews.
Caution
Without a clear context, standalone ม้า normally means “horse.” The figurative meanings in บัญชีม้า and หน้าม้า are best learned as parts of those compounds. บัญชีม้า strongly implies criminal misuse, and หน้าม้า negatively labels someone as a deceptive shill. Applying either label without evidence can amount to a serious accusation. Do not confuse ม้า (“horse”) with หมา (“dog”); they differ in both spelling and tone.
Differences from similar words
1 horse synonyms
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อาชา is a literary, elevated word for a horse, while ม้า is the ordinary term used in everyday speech.