เตี้ย

Explanation

The core idea of เตี้ย is having limited vertical height. It can describe a short person, a low chair or table, or a plant with a short growth habit. With people, both เขาเตี้ย and เขาตัวเตี้ย are common. Use เตี้ยกว่า for “shorter/lower than,” เตี้ยมาก for “very short/low,” and เตี้ยเกินไป for “too short/low.” Its opposite is สูง, meaning “tall” or “high.” Some dictionaries classify this word as an adjective before a noun but as a stative verb when it serves as the predicate. For learners, these uses can be understood as one meaning: having short or low height.

Usage

Commonly used in everyday conversation to describe or compare people's height. It is also used for the height of furniture, buildings, animals, and plants.

Caution

Calling someone เตี้ย directly can sound blunt, teasing, or critical. ตัวเล็ก (“small/petite”) or ไม่สูงมาก (“not very tall”) may be gentler alternatives. For short length or duration—such as short hair, legs, or time—use สั้น instead.

1 short (in height) synonyms

• ตัวเล็ก

  ตัวเล็ก means “small” or “petite” and often sounds gentler. เตี้ย directly emphasizes short stature and may sound more blunt when used about a person.

• ต่ำ

  tàm low

  ต่ำ means “low” in a broader sense, including position, level, rank, or numerical value. เตี้ย specifically focuses on short or low physical height.

• สั้น

  sân short

  สั้น describes something short in length or duration, such as hair, legs, a distance, or a period of time. เตี้ย refers mainly to limited vertical or overall bodily height.