Jingjok
Everyone is family: พี่, น้อง, ลุง, ป้า
pîi / náawng
Thai rarely uses a bare 'you' with strangers. Instead it borrows family words and picks one by age. Anyone a bit older than you is พี่ (big brother or sister): the Grab driver, the barista, the colleague at the next desk. Anyone clearly younger is น้อง, which is also how you call a young waiter over: น้องครับ! People around your parents' age become ลุง (uncle) or ป้า (auntie), and น้า sits warmly in between. The words work both ways, so an older shopkeeper may call herself พี่ when she talks to you. Guessing too old hurts more than guessing too young: calling a 35-year-old ป้า stings, and calling an older woman น้อง can sound flirty. When you're not sure, พี่ is the safe, kind choice.
Try this today
Call the next driver, vendor or barista พี่ instead of คุณ.
The words that carry it
- พี่older brother or sister; you (to someone a bit older)
- น้องyounger brother or sister; you (to someone younger)
- ลุงuncle (older man)
- ป้าauntie (older woman)
Your first 90 days of Thai
Culture cards in Jingjok are tied to the words that carry them, each ending in one thing to try today.
- 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.