The word "thihathu" is a Burmese term that is spelled using the Burmese script. Its IPA phonetic transcription is /tʰiːha̰θù/, which breaks down as follows: the first sound is a voiceless aspirated dental/alveolar stop, followed by a long vowel sound, then a voiceless aspirated dental/alveolar fricative, and finally a low tone. In Burmese script, it is spelled as သီဟသူ, and it has various meanings, including "person of high rank," "preferential treatment," and "favouritism."