ตา
eye
Native recording
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- 1 eye
- 2 maternal grandfather、grandpa [on one's mother's side]
- 3 old man [informal form of address or reference]
- 4 turn、chance to act
- 5 round [of a game]、game [counter]
- 6 mesh opening、grid cell、square (on a board)
- 7 bud、growing point
Its core meaning is “eye.” It also extends to eye-like openings or spaces, plant buds, a person’s turn, and a round of a game. As a kinship term, it means one’s maternal grandfather.
eye
The organ that people and animals use to see.
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เจ็บตา cèp taa have sore eyes เจ็บตา details
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หลับตา làp taa close one's eyes หลับตา details
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ลืมตา lʉʉm taa open one's eyes ลืมตา details
maternal grandfather、grandpa [on one's mother's side]
A kinship term for one’s mother’s father.
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ตาของฉันอยู่เชียงใหม่ taa khɔ̌ɔŋ chǎn yùu chiaŋmày My maternal grandfather lives in Chiang Mai. ตาของฉันอยู่เชียงใหม่ details
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ไปหาตากันเถอะ pay hǎa taa kan thə̀ Let's go see Grandpa. ไปหาตากันเถอะ details
old man [informal form of address or reference]
An informal way to address or refer to an elderly man, especially one of a grandfather’s generation.
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ตาคนนั้นขายผลไม้ taa khon nán khǎay phǒnlamáay That old man sells fruit. ตาคนนั้นขายผลไม้ details
turn、chance to act
The opportunity to act when people are taking turns.
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ถึงตาคุณแล้ว thʉ̌ŋ taa khun lɛ́ɛw It's your turn now. ถึงตาคุณแล้ว details
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ตานี้ฉันเลือกก่อน taa níi chǎn lʉ̂ak kɔ̀ɔn This time, I'll choose first. ตานี้ฉันเลือกก่อน details
round [of a game]、game [counter]
Counts individual rounds or games in a repeated contest or activity.
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เล่นอีกตาไหม lên ìik taa mǎy Want to play another round? เล่นอีกตาไหม details
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เราเล่นหมากรุกสามตา raw lên màakrúk sǎam taa We played three games of chess. เราเล่นหมากรุกสามตา details
mesh opening、grid cell、square (on a board)
A small opening or compartment in a net, grid, or similar patterned surface.
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ตาข่ายมีตาถี่ taakhàay mii taa thìi The net has a fine mesh. ตาข่ายมีตาถี่ details
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ตาหมากรุก taa màakrúk a square on a chessboard ตาหมากรุก details
bud、growing point
A plant bud or the point from which a branch, leaf, or flower grows.
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ต้นไม้นี้เริ่มแตกตา tônmáay níi rə̂əm tɛ̀ɛk taa This tree is beginning to bud. ต้นไม้นี้เริ่มแตกตา details
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ตาดอก taa dɔ̀ɔk flower bud ตาดอก details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core meaning of ตา is the physical “eye.” By extension, it can describe things that resemble an eye, including an opening in a net, a cell in a grid, and a plant bud. As a kinship term, it means “maternal grandfather.” A paternal grandfather is ปู่, so Thai distinguishes the two sides of the family. ตา may also address or refer to an elderly man; adding คุณ, as in คุณตา, makes the expression more respectful and gentle. ตา also means a person’s turn, especially in patterns such as ถึงตา... (“it is ...’s turn”). In games, it can count a complete game or round, as in เล่นอีกตา (“play another round”). When counting the two physical eyes, ข้าง is commonly used: ตาสองข้าง means “both eyes.” คู่ may be used when treating the eyes as a pair.
Usage
It is common in everyday expressions about vision and eye health, such as เจ็บตา (“have sore eyes”), หลับตา (“close one’s eyes”), and ลืมตา (“open one’s eyes”). In family conversations, it identifies one’s maternal grandfather and can be used when speaking to him. In games and alternating activities, it refers to a turn or a complete round. It also appears in discussions of nets, boards, and plants with the meanings “mesh opening,” “square,” and “bud.”
Caution
As a kinship term, ตา specifically means one’s maternal grandfather; use ปู่ for a paternal grandfather. Addressing an unfamiliar elderly man simply as ตา can sound overly familiar or disrespectful depending on the situation. คุณตา is safer and more courteous. ตาแก่ can be insulting, much like “old geezer.” For large or wide eyes, Thai normally uses ตาโต, not ตาใหญ่.
Differences from similar words
1 eye synonyms
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ดวงตา also means “eye,” but it is somewhat more literary or expressive. ตา is the ordinary everyday word.
2 maternal grandfather synonyms
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ปู่ is one’s paternal grandfather, while ตา is one’s maternal grandfather. Thai normally distinguishes the two.
3 old man [informal form of address or reference] synonyms
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ลุง is used for a man around one’s parents’ generation. ตา refers to a still older man, around one’s grandfather’s generation.
4 turn synonyms
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คิว usually refers to one’s place in a queue or scheduled order. ตา focuses on one’s turn to act in a game or alternating activity.
5 round [of a game] synonyms
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รอบ is a broad counter for rounds, cycles, or sessions. ตา is especially common for one game or round of a board game or similar contest.
6 mesh opening synonyms
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ช่อง is a general word for a gap, opening, slot, or field. ตา specifically refers to one of the small openings or cells forming a mesh or grid.
7 bud synonyms
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หน่อ usually refers to a young shoot growing from the ground or the base of a plant. ตา is a small bud or budding point on a stem or branch.