เช้า

From Proto-Tai *ɟaːwꟲ (“early morning”). Compare Middle Chinese 早 (MC tsawX, “morning, early”). Cognate with Lao ເຊົ້າ (sao), Lü ᦋᧁᧉ (tsaw²), Tai Dam ꪹꪋ꫁ꪱ, Tai Dón ꪹꪋꪱꫂ, Shan ၸဝ်ႉ (tsâ̰o), Phake ꩡ︀ွ် (caw), Ahom 𑜋𑜈𑜫 (chaw), 𑜋𑜨𑜧 (chow) or 𑜋𑜨𑜧𑜈𑜫 (choww), Zhuang caeux. Compare Vietnamese chào. May be cognate with เพรา (prao, “morning”).

เช้า • (cháao)

1. in the early part of the morning.
2. before the usual or appointed time; ahead of time.

เช้า • (cháao)

1. morning.
2. (colloquial) the period of time between sunrise and sunset; the period of time that there is still daylight.

• In Thai culture, morning denotes the period of time from 06:00 hours to 09:00 hours. It may sometimes be extended to 12:00 hours.

• Appendix:Thai/Time

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

เช้า • (cháo)

1. (archaic) basket.
   • มหาชาติคำหลวง, กัณฑ์มัทรี:

     ครั้นเช้าก็หิ้วเช้า ชายป่าเต้าไปตามชาย

     krán cháao gɔ̂ɔ hîo cháo · chaai bpà dâo bpai dtamm chaai

     As the morning came, she carried a basket and set out along the edge of the forest in quest of the man.

• “เช้า” in Thai Dictionary Project (TDP) (UC Berkeley 1964) (plus additional data from the Royal Institute of Thailand (RI) and NECTEC's LEXITRON project (LEX)). Searchable online at SEAlang.net.