Jingjok
The noodle-stall formula
gǔai-dtǐao
At a ก๋วยเตี๋ยว stall you build your bowl in three steps. First the noodle: เส้นเล็ก thin rice noodles, เส้นใหญ่ wide flat ones, เส้นหมี่ thin vermicelli, or บะหมี่ yellow egg noodles. Then soup or dry: น้ำ in broth, or แห้ง with the broth on the side. Then the topping: pork, ลูกชิ้น meatballs, chicken or beef; many stalls only do one or two, so look at what is in the glass cabinet. Put together: เส้นเล็กน้ำ หมู, 'thin noodles, soup, pork'. The bowl arrives mildly seasoned on purpose; finish it yourself from the caddy of sugar, chili flakes, fish sauce and vinegar. Many Thais add a spoonful of sugar.
Try this today
Order a bowl with the formula today: noodle + น้ำ or แห้ง + topping.
The words that carry it
- ก๋วยเตี๋ยวnoodle soup
- เส้นเล็กthin rice noodles
- เส้นใหญ่wide rice noodles
- บะหมี่egg noodles
- แห้งdry (no soup)
Learn this in “Street food and 7-Eleven” →
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.