ไหว้
wai (to someone)
Native recording
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- 1 wai (to someone)、pay respect with a wai
- 2 worship; pay reverence to、pay respects to (an ancestor or the deceased)
This word refers to performing a wai—pressing the palms together to show respect. It is used for polite greetings and for paying reverence to sacred beings, ancestors, and the dead.
wai (to someone)、pay respect with a wai
To perform a wai toward a person as a polite greeting or a sign of respect, thanks, or apology.
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เด็กไหว้ผู้ใหญ่ dèk wâay phûu yày The child gives a wai to an elder. เด็กไหว้ผู้ใหญ่ details
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ยกมือไหว้ครู yók mʉʉ wâay khruu Raise your hands in a wai to the teacher. ยกมือไหว้ครู details
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ไหว้ขอบคุณ wâay khɔ̀ɔpkhun Give a wai to express thanks. ไหว้ขอบคุณ details
worship; pay reverence to、pay respects to (an ancestor or the deceased)
To press the palms together in reverence before a Buddha image, monk, deity, spirit, ancestor, or deceased person.
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ไปวัดไหว้พระ pay wát wâay phrá Go to the temple to pay respects to the Buddha. ไปวัดไหว้พระ details
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ไหว้เจ้า wâay câw Worship the gods. ไหว้เจ้า details
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ไปไหว้ศพ pay wâay sòp Go to pay respects to the deceased. ไปไหว้ศพ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image of ไหว้ is directing respect toward someone or something by pressing the palms together. With people, it can accompany a greeting, thanks, an apology, or a welcome. The person receiving the wai normally follows the verb, as in ไหว้ครู, “give a wai to a teacher.” With Buddha images, monks, deities, spirits, ancestors, or the deceased, it means paying reverence or respects. การไหว้ can be used when an explicit noun meaning “the act of performing a wai” is needed.
Usage
It is common in polite greetings to elders, teachers, and guests; teacher-honoring ceremonies; temple visits; worship at household altars or shrines; ancestral rites; and funerals. Service staff may also perform a wai when welcoming or seeing off customers.
Caution
ไหว้ specifically refers to the wai gesture, so it cannot replace every general use of “greet.” Close friends, for example, do not necessarily wai whenever they greet one another. Generally, the younger or lower-status person initiates the wai, and the other person acknowledges it—รับไหว้. Monks ordinarily do not return a layperson’s wai.
Differences from similar words
1 wai (to someone) synonyms
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คารวะ is a relatively formal word meaning “pay respect.” ไหว้ names the specific wai gesture and is also common in everyday greetings.
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เคารพ broadly means “respect” or “show respect” and does not require a particular gesture. ไหว้ normally involves showing respect with the palms-together wai gesture.
2 worship; pay reverence to synonyms
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กราบ is a deeper, more formal act of reverence, typically performed while kneeling and lowering the hands or forehead toward the floor. ไหว้ normally involves pressing the palms together at chest or face level.
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อธิษฐาน means to pray for something or make a wish. ไหว้ describes an act of reverence and does not by itself mean making a request or wish.