น้อง
younger sibling
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 younger sibling
- 2 younger person、junior、younger colleague or friend
- 3 you [addressing a younger person]、I [used by the younger person]、he or she [the younger person]
- 4 little ... [affectionate title]、... [affectionate name prefix]
This word presents someone as the younger or junior person in a relationship. It commonly refers to a younger sibling, a junior, or a younger person being addressed, often with a sense of familiarity or affection.
younger sibling
A sibling who is younger than the person used as the point of reference, without specifying gender.
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ฉันมีน้องสองคน chǎn mii nɔ́ɔŋ sɔ̌ɔŋ khon I have two younger siblings. ฉันมีน้องสองคน details
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พี่สาวดูแลน้องๆแทนพ่อแม่ phîi sǎaw duulɛɛ nɔ́ɔŋ nɔ́ɔŋ thɛɛn phɔ̂ɔ mɛ̂ɛ The older sister takes care of her younger siblings in place of their parents. พี่สาวดูแลน้องๆแทนพ่อแม่ details
younger person、junior、younger colleague or friend
A younger or more junior person, especially within a social group, school, workplace, or shared activity.
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เขาเป็นน้องที่มหาวิทยาลัย khǎw pen nɔ́ɔŋ thîi máhǎawíttháyaalay He is my junior from university. เขาเป็นน้องที่มหาวิทยาลัย details
you [addressing a younger person]、I [used by the younger person]、he or she [the younger person]
A relationship-based personal reference: an older person may use it for a younger person, while the younger person may use it for themselves when speaking to someone treated as พี่.
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น้องชื่ออะไร nɔ́ɔŋ chʉ̂ʉ aray What's your name? น้องชื่ออะไร details
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น้องครับ ขอถามหน่อย nɔ́ɔŋ khráp khɔ̌ɔ thǎam nɔ̀ɔy Excuse me, may I ask you something? น้องครับ ขอถามหน่อย details
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พี่รอน้องด้วย phîi rɔɔ nɔ́ɔŋ dûay Wait for me too. พี่รอน้องด้วย details
little ... [affectionate title]、... [affectionate name prefix]
An affectionate title placed before a name or a word for a person or animal, presenting them as younger, endearing, or cute.
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น้องเมย์ nɔ́ɔŋ mee May [affectionate form] น้องเมย์ details
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น้องหมาน่ารักมาก nɔ́ɔŋ mǎa nâa rák mâak The doggy is very cute. น้องหมาน่ารักมาก details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of น้อง is the younger or junior side of a relationship. Its basic meaning is “younger sibling,” with no gender distinction. Use น้องชาย for a younger brother and น้องสาว for a younger sister. Thai kinship terms are also widely used outside the family. น้อง can therefore refer to a younger acquaintance, a junior at school, or a less senior colleague. Its older or senior counterpart is พี่. Close friends or romantic partners may also frame their relationship as พี่ and น้อง. The word can function much like a personal pronoun. An older person may call a younger person น้อง, and the younger person may refer to themselves as น้อง when speaking to someone they address as พี่. Depending on context, มีน้อง can mean “have a younger sibling.” When said about a child, it may gently indicate that the child is going to have a new sibling—that the mother is pregnant.
Usage
It is common in family conversations about younger siblings and in schools or workplaces when referring to juniors or newcomers. It is also used to address a familiar younger person, get the attention of a younger service worker, form an affectionate name, or speak cutely about a pet, especially in everyday conversation and on social media.
Caution
By itself, น้อง does not tell you whether the person is male or female, or even whether they are a blood relative; context or words such as ชาย and สาว provide that information. When used to address a stranger, it assumes that the person is younger or junior to the speaker. This can sound overly familiar or condescending when the age difference is unclear or the setting is formal. คุณ, a name, or an appropriate title is safer in those situations.
Differences from similar words
2 younger person synonyms
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เด็ก identifies someone as a child or young person. น้อง instead defines that person in relation to someone older or more senior.
3 you [addressing a younger person] synonyms
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คุณ is a generally polite way to say “you” without marking age or seniority. น้อง explicitly places the addressee in the younger or junior role and is more familiar.