น้อย
few
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 few、little、not much
- 2 little、small、young
A very common word for an amount, number, frequency, or degree that is below the expected level. After certain nouns, it can mean “little” or “young” with an affectionate tone, and it is also used as a Thai nickname.
few、little、not much
Describes a number or amount as being below the expected or usual level.
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วันนี้ลูกค้าน้อย wan níi lûuk kháa nɔ́ɔy There are few customers today. วันนี้ลูกค้าน้อย details
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ฉันมีรายได้น้อย chǎn mii raay dâay nɔ́ɔy I have a low income. ฉันมีรายได้น้อย details
little、small、young
Follows nouns referring especially to children or animals and means “little” or “young,” often adding an affectionate tone.
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เด็กน้อย dèk nɔ́ɔy a little child เด็กน้อย details
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หมาตัวน้อย mǎa tua nɔ́ɔy a little dog หมาตัวน้อย details
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เจ้าตัวน้อย câw tua nɔ́ɔy the little one เจ้าตัวน้อย details
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สาวน้อย sǎaw nɔ́ɔy young girl สาวน้อย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of น้อย is that an amount or degree is low relative to a standard or expectation. It describes quantities in expressions such as มีเงินน้อย, “have little money.” After a verb or a word describing a quality, it indicates a low amount, frequency, or degree: พูดน้อย means “not talk much,” and หวานน้อย means “less sweet.” Use น้อยกว่า for “less/fewer than” and น้อยลง for “become less” or “decrease.” Its opposite is มาก, “much, many, or highly.” After nouns for children or animals, as in เด็กน้อย, it can mean “little” or “young” and convey affection. น้อย is also a common nickname for both men and women.
Usage
It is used throughout everyday life to discuss low numbers or amounts of people, goods, time, money, or experience. It also describes low food intake, infrequent actions, short sleep, and reduced intensity. หวานน้อย, “less sweet,” is especially common when ordering drinks. Expressions such as เด็กน้อย and เจ้าตัวน้อย are used affectionately for children or small animals. When น้อย refers to a person by itself, it is usually a nickname rather than a legal given name.
Caution
น้อย often evaluates something as being low in amount, rather than simply saying “a little.” กินน้อย means that someone eats little or has a small appetite, while กินนิดหน่อย means “eat a little.” For physical size in general, use เล็ก. The “little” sense of น้อย is limited mainly to affectionate expressions involving children, animals, and similar beings.
Differences from similar words
1 few synonyms
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นิดหน่อย means “a little” and simply indicates a small amount. น้อย more often evaluates the amount as low relative to a standard or expectation.
2 little synonyms
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เล็ก is the general word for being physically small and can describe a wide range of things. In this sense, น้อย is used especially with children and animals and often sounds affectionate or emphasizes youth.