Signification
Hardworking and persistent.
Contexte culturel
In the central plains, 'khayan' is often associated with the 'Rice Farmer' spirit. Even in modern Bangkok, people who work long hours are respected as the backbone of the nation. The Thai-Chinese community emphasizes 'khayan' as the primary way to achieve social mobility. The 'shophouse' culture, where families live and work in the same building, is a symbol of this. In Isan, 'khayan' is linked to 'Othon' (endurance). Because of the harsh climate, being hardworking is seen as a necessary communal trait to support the village. On Thai social media, 'khayan' is used to describe influencers who post frequently. It has shifted from physical labor to 'content consistency'.
Complimenting
If you want to make a Thai person smile, compliment their 'khayan'. It's more valued than being 'smart'.
Sarcasm Alert
Be careful with 'Khayan chang loei' if someone is doing something silly; they might think you're teasing them.
Signification
Hardworking and persistent.
Complimenting
If you want to make a Thai person smile, compliment their 'khayan'. It's more valued than being 'smart'.
Sarcasm Alert
Be careful with 'Khayan chang loei' if someone is doing something silly; they might think you're teasing them.
Verb Pairing
Always pair 'khayan' with a verb to sound more natural, like 'khayan rian' or 'khayan tham-ngan'.
The Buffalo Metaphor
If someone says they work like a buffalo, they are saying they are 'khayan' in a humble, hardworking way.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct word.
สมชายเป็นคน_______ เขาทำงานวันละ 12 ชั่วโมง
Working 12 hours a day indicates being 'khayan' (hardworking).
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
How do you say 'She is a hardworking student'?
In this structure, 'thi' (that/which) is used to link the noun 'student' with the adjective 'hardworking'.
Match the Thai phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are the standard forms of the word.
Complete the dialogue.
A: ทำไมคุณสอบได้ที่หนึ่ง? B: เพราะผม_______อ่านหนังสือครับ
The reason for being number one is being diligent in reading/studying.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Khayan vs. Khi-kiat
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesสมชายเป็นคน_______ เขาทำงานวันละ 12 ชั่วโมง
Working 12 hours a day indicates being 'khayan' (hardworking).
How do you say 'She is a hardworking student'?
In this structure, 'thi' (that/which) is used to link the noun 'student' with the adjective 'hardworking'.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the standard forms of the word.
A: ทำไมคุณสอบได้ที่หนึ่ง? B: เพราะผม_______อ่านหนังสือครับ
The reason for being number one is being diligent in reading/studying.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, it can be used for hobbies, exercise, cleaning, or even being diligent about seeing friends.
Yes, you can call an ant or a bee 'khayan'.
It's neutral. It's used in both casual talk and formal writing.
The opposite is 'ขี้เกียจ' (khi-kiat), which means lazy.
Use 'khwam-khayan' (ความขยัน).
Only if used sarcastically, like 'khayan ha rueang' (diligent at finding trouble).
Similar, but 'khayan' implies a consistent habit, whereas 'trying hard' (phaya-yam) could be a one-time effort.
Yes, being 'khayan' is a very attractive trait in a potential partner in Thailand.
Yes, but Thai people usually stay humble and might say 'I try to be khayan' instead of 'I am khayan'.
It's a more formal, four-syllable version of the word.
Expressions liées
ขี้เกียจ
contrastLazy
พยายาม
similarTo try / To make an effort
อดทน
builds onPatient / Enduring
ตั้งใจ
similarDetermined / Focused
หมั่น
specialized formFrequently / Constantly
