Learn 6 Thai Adjectives with “ใจ” /jay/ (heart)

First of all, you need to learn the main word ใจ /jay/ (pronounced /jai/) which means heart in the abstract term, while หัวใจ /hua-jay/ means a heart as an organ in English.

The word “ใจ” /jay/ can be used to build countless compound words in Thai language. It is very interesting as compound words can explain Thai’s perspective as language explains culture.  

Therefore, I would like to introduce you “6 Thai Adjectives with the word “ใจ” /jay/ (heart)” that most commonly used in daily situations. /rûem-kan!/ Let’s start!

1. ใจดำ /jay-dam/

ใจ /Jay/ means heart, while the word ดำ /dam/ means black. By translating word by word, it means “black heart”. Black color for Thai people implies something negative, dirty, mysterious, etc. 

So the meaning of this adjective seems to be negative. Therefore the true meaning of ใจดำ /jay-dam/ is “heartless or mean“.

Example: 

• เธอใจดำมาก ไม่ให้อาหารแมว /Theer jay-dam maak, may-hay aa-haan maew/ = You are so mean! You don’t give some food to the cat.
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2. ใจดี /jay-dii/ or ใจงาม /jay-ngaam/

ดี /dii/ means good (adj) and งาม /ngaam/ means beautiful in old Thai language.  Both words have similar meanings – something good and beautiful. 

When combined with the word ใจ /jay/, they mean good heart or beautiful heart in the sense of being “kind or nice“.

Example: 

• แม่ของเธอใจดีจัง ทำขนมให้เธอกินทุกวัน /mâe-khõorng-theer jay-dii jang, tham-kha-nõm háy-theer kin thúk-wan/ = Your mom is so nice. She makes snacks for you to eat every day.
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3. ใจร้อน /jay-róorn/

Well, ใจร้อน /jay-róorn/ doesn’t mean “hot heart” as the word ร้อน /róorn/ means hot. On the other hand, it means “impatient”  It is because of that you really cannot wait for something. Your heart is burning. 

Besides, ใจร้อน/jay-róorn/ can also mean “impulsive“. You don’t take a minute to think. It is so burning that you impulsively do something.

Example:

• เขามีปัญหากับคนอื่นบ่อยๆ เพราะเขาเป็นคนใจร้อน /khaw mii pan-hãa kab khon-uen bòy-bòy, phror khaw pen khon jay-róorn/ = He has a problem with other people often because he is an impulsive person.
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4. ใจเย็น /jay-yen/

The word เย็น /yen/ means cold or cool. However, ใจเย็น /jay-yen/ doesn’t mean being cold-hearted but “being patient” as an adjective. Furthermore, it can be a verb to keep calm as well. This word is an antonym of the previous wordใจร้อน /jay-róorn/.

Example 

• ใจเย็นๆ เดี๋ยวเขาก็มา /jay-yen-yen diew khaw kor maa/ = Be patient! Soon enough, he will come.
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5. ใจแข็ง /jay-khãeng/

The word แข็ง /khãeng/ means physically hard. (น้ำแข็ง /nãam-khãeng/ = hard water or ice) Therefore, the word ใจแข็ง /jay-khãeng/ is easy to translate as “hard-hearted“. 

It is used when somebody persists in doing something, especially in a very tough situation against someone’s will. It can also be you are being tough or hard with something.

Example

• พ่อใจแข็ง ไม่ยอมซื้อ IPhone ให้ฉัน /phôor jay-khãeng, may-yoorm súe Iphone háy-chan/ Dad is hard-hearted. He doesn’t buy an iPhone for me.
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6. ใจกว้าง /jay-kwâang/

กว้าง /kwâang/ means wide, vast or broad so ใจกว้าง /jay-kwâang/ is something like “wide heart” This word is used for someone who has a huge heart or “being generous“. 

It is an antonym of the word ใจแคบ /jay-khâeb/ or narrow-minded.

Example

• คุณใจกว้างจัง ให้เพื่อนของฉันมาเที่ยวบ้านด้วย /khun jay-kwâang jang! hây phûen-khõorng-chan maa-thiaew bâan duay/ = You are so generous! let me friend visit your house as well.

Alright! So you have already learned the 6 Thai adjectives with the word ใจ /jay/ Hope you enjoyed and keep clam learning Thai!

เรียนภาษาไทย ใจเย็นๆ /rian phaa-sãa-Thai jay-yen-yen/ na kha