ไร่

From Proto-Tai *rɤjᴮ (“dry field”). Cognate with Northern Thai ᩁᩱ᩵, Isan ไฮ่, Lao ໄຮ່ (hai), Lü ᦺᦣᧈ (hay¹), Shan ႁႆႈ (hāi), Tai Dam ꪼꪭ꪿, Ahom 𑜑𑜩 (hay), Zhuang reih. Sagart (2011) considers this a borrowing from Austroasiatic, compare Proto-Mon-Khmer *sreʔ (“field”); Vietnamese rẫy is a back-loan from Tai.

ไร่ • (râi)

1. terrace (on a mountain slope).
2. plantation, field (planted in crops other than cereals).
3. rai, area of land equal to 4 ngan (งาน), or 400 square wa (ตารางวา), or 1600 square meters.