# Thai

/ˈtaɪ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/thai
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the language

noun · CEFR A1

the main language spoken in Thailand.

For teachers: the official and most widely spoken language of Thailand, belonging to the Kra-Dai language family.

- She is learning to speak Thai because she plans to work in Bangkok.
- The script used for writing Thai is an abugida, which can be challenging for learners accustomed to the Latin alphabet.

### 2. the people

noun · CEFR A1

a person from Thailand or someone whose family is from there.

For teachers: a person of Thai descent or a citizen of Thailand. The plural form can be 'Thai' or 'Thais'.

- The local Thais were very welcoming to the tourists visiting the island.
- Many Thais living abroad maintain strong cultural ties through community festivals and traditional religious practices.

### 3. the food

noun · CEFR A2

food that comes from Thailand.

For teachers: the national cuisine of Thailand, characterised by its balance of sour, sweet, salty, and spicy flavours.

- We decided to have Thai for dinner because we wanted something spicy.
- Authentic Thai relies heavily on fresh aromatics like lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves to achieve its distinctive flavour profile.

### 4. relating to Thailand

adjective · CEFR A1

coming from or relating to Thailand.

For teachers: of or pertaining to Thailand, its people, culture, or language.

- I love the taste of Thai curry with coconut milk.
- The museum features an extensive collection of Thai silk garments dating back to the nineteenth century.

## Examples

- I am learning how to speak Thai for my holiday.
- The restaurant is owned by a Thai family who moved to the city ten years ago.
- While many regional dialects exist across the country, Central Thai serves as the standard for education, government, and national media.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.