เข็ม

Thai

Etymology

From Proto-Tai *qemᴬ (“needle”), from Old Chinese 針 (OC *t.[k]əm). Cognate with Lao ເຂັມ (khem), Lü ᦃᦲᧄ (ẋiim), Tai Dam ꪹꪄꪸꪣ, Shan ၶဵမ် (khǎem), Tai Nüa ᥑᥥᥛᥴ (xém) or ᥔᥥᥛᥴ (sém), Ahom 𑜁𑜢𑜉𑜫 (khim), Zhuang cim or caemz, Nong Zhuang chaem. Compare Vietnamese kim.

Pronunciation

Orthographic/Phonemic		เข็ม e kʰ ˘ m
Romanization	Paiboon	kěm
	Royal Institute	khem
(standard) IPA(key)		/kʰem˩˩˦/(R)

Noun

เข็ม • (kěm)

1. needle. (classifier: เล่ม)
2. (medicine) stitch.
3. similar object (in terms of appearance, usage, etc), as syringe, clock hand, foundation pile, etc.
4. anything containing such object, as pin, brooch, etc.
5. (botany) ixora.
6. (zoology) the fish Dermogenys pusillus van Hasselt of the family Hemiramphidae.