Nong

Nong is a term with several uses, but it is best known in Thai language and culture. In Thai, nong (น้อง) means younger sibling or a younger person. It functions as an informal honorific used by older speakers to address someone younger. It can be attached to a name, as in Nong Lek, to convey familiarity and affection, or used alone as a nickname. It is gender-neutral and widely used in families, schools, workplaces, and media. In addition to being a term of address, Nong is commonly used as a personal nickname or as part of a stage name for Thai entertainers, reflecting a friendly or youthful persona.

Outside Thailand, nong may appear as a romanization of syllables in other languages or as a personal name in diaspora communities. Its meaning in those contexts, if any, is not related to the Thai term and varies by language. The word’s primary and most documented use remains its role in Thai kinship language and informal social address.