ป้า
aunt (a parent’s older sister)
Native recording
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- 1 aunt (a parent’s older sister)
- 2 auntie (an older woman)、older woman
- 3 I, auntie [used by an older woman]
This word primarily means an aunt who is older than one’s parent. It is also used like “auntie” for an older woman and can function as a personal pronoun in conversations with younger people.
aunt (a parent’s older sister)
Refers to the older sister of either one’s father or mother.
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ป้าของฉันอยู่เชียงใหม่ pâa khɔ̌ɔŋ chǎn yùu chiaŋmày My aunt lives in Chiang Mai. ป้าของฉันอยู่เชียงใหม่ details
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ป้าเป็นพี่สาวของแม่ pâa pen phîi sǎaw khɔ̌ɔŋ mɛ̂ɛ My aunt is my mother’s older sister. ป้าเป็นพี่สาวของแม่ details
auntie (an older woman)、older woman
Used as an “auntie”-like title or form of address for a woman around one’s parents’ generation, even when she is not a relative.
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ป้าข้างบ้านใจดีมาก pâa khâaŋ bâan cay dii mâak The woman next door is very kind. ป้าข้างบ้านใจดีมาก details
I, auntie [used by an older woman]
Used by an older woman to refer to herself as “auntie” when speaking to a child or younger person.
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เดี๋ยวป้าช่วยนะ dǐaw pâa chûay ná Auntie will help you. เดี๋ยวป้าช่วยนะ details
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มาหาป้าสิ maa hǎa pâa sì Come over to Auntie. มาหาป้าสิ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core meaning of ป้า is the older sister of one’s father or mother. It can refer to either side of the family, but it is not used for a parent’s younger sister. Thai kinship terms are also widely used for people outside the family. ป้า can therefore address or describe a woman around one’s parents’ generation, such as a neighbor, vendor, or restaurant owner. คุณป้า makes the form of address more polite and gentle. An older woman may also use ป้า to mean “I” or “auntie” when speaking to a child or younger person. The classifier for people is คน, as in ป้าสองคน, “two aunts/older women,” and ป้าคนนั้น, “that aunt/older woman.”
Usage
It is common when discussing relatives and family relationships. It is also heard in familiar settings such as markets, small restaurants, and neighborhoods when addressing or mentioning a woman of the parents’ generation. Older women commonly use it for themselves when speaking warmly to children or younger people.
Caution
For relatives, use น้า for a mother’s younger sister and อา for a father’s younger sister; neither is called ป้า. Calling an unrelated woman ป้า places her noticeably above you in age. Someone who does not see herself as that much older may find it unwelcome or insulting. When the age relationship is unclear, using her name with คุณ or an appropriate occupational title is safer.
Differences from similar words
1 aunt (a parent’s older sister) synonyms
2 auntie (an older woman) synonyms
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พี่ is used for someone somewhat older but still viewed as part of the same general generation. ป้า places the woman closer to one’s parents’ generation.
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ยาย primarily means “maternal grandmother” and may address a woman of one’s grandparents’ generation. ป้า is generally used for a somewhat younger woman of one’s parents’ generation.