Jingjok
How to say Westerner (white foreigner)
in Thai
ฝรั่ง
fà-ràng
Westerner (white foreigner) · guava
fà lowràng low
A neutral label for a Western foreigner, and also the name of the guava fruit. Both syllables are low: ฝ is a high-class letter leading ร.
- Part of speech
- noun
- Classifier
- คน
- Remember it
- From FAR RANGE: the Westerner arrives.
In a sentence
- ผมเป็นฝรั่งpǒm bpen fà-ràngI'm a Westerner.
- ฝรั่งพูดไทยได้fà-ràng pûut tai dâaiThe foreigner can speak Thai!
The culture behind it
CULTURE
Farang: a label, not an insult
From the same situation: Who's who
- พี่older brother or sister; you (to someone a bit older)
- น้องyounger brother or sister; you (to someone younger)
- ลุงuncle (older man)
- ป้าauntie (older woman)
- น้าauntie or uncle (younger than your parents)
- อาauntie or uncle (father's younger sibling)
- คนperson, people
- ประเทศcountry
All 65 words and phrases in “Who's who” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Jingjok teaches ฝรั่ง with audio, the tone drawn on screen, and a check on your own voice. Answer the three questions every Thai asks a foreigner, ask them back, and address people with the right family word.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.