ใบ
leaf
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 leaf
- 2 sheet、paper slip、ticket、document、certificate
- 3 blade、fan blade、sail、thin flat part
- 4 [classifier for leaves, sheets, tickets, and cards]、[classifier for plates, glasses, bags, hats, fruit, and similar items]
ใบ starts from the idea of a plant leaf, then extends to flat or sheet-like things such as documents, tickets, blades, and fan blades. It is also a very common classifier for flat, hollow, or certain everyday objects.
leaf
This is the basic meaning: a leaf of a plant.
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ใบไม้ bay máay leaf; leaves ใบไม้ details
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ใบมะม่วง bay mámûaŋ mango leaf ใบมะม่วง details
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ใบไม้ร่วง bay máay rûaŋ falling leaves; fallen leaves ใบไม้ร่วง details
sheet、paper slip、ticket、document、certificate
This sense refers to a sheet-like item such as a paper, card, ticket, or document, and it often appears at the start of document names.
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ใบเสร็จ bay sèt receipt ใบเสร็จ details
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ใบสมัคร bay samàk application form ใบสมัคร details
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ใบอนุญาต bay ànúyâat permit; license ใบอนุญาต details
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ใบขับขี่ bay khàp khìi driver’s license ใบขับขี่ details
blade、fan blade、sail、thin flat part
This sense refers to thin, flat parts of tools or machines, and also to a sail. It is most often learned through compounds.
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ใบมีด bay mîit blade ใบมีด details
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ใบพัด bay phát propeller; fan blade ใบพัด details
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ใบเรือ bay rʉa sail ใบเรือ details
[classifier for leaves, sheets, tickets, and cards]、[classifier for plates, glasses, bags, hats, fruit, and similar items]
As a classifier, ใบ is used for leaves, sheets, cards, tickets, plates, glasses, bags, hats, fruit, and some other everyday items. Its range is broader than just “flat things.”
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ตั๋วสองใบ tǔa sɔ̌ɔŋ bay two tickets ตั๋วสองใบ details
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บัตรใบนี้ bàt bay níi this card บัตรใบนี้ details
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กระเป๋าหนึ่งใบ krapǎw nʉ̀ŋ bay one bag กระเป๋าหนึ่งใบ details
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ขอจานเปล่า 2 ใบ khɔ̌ɔ caan plàaw sɔ̌ɔŋ bay Two empty plates, please. ขอจานเปล่า 2 ใบ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image of ใบ is something like a leaf: thin and flat. Its basic meaning is a plant leaf, but it is also very common in document words such as ใบเสร็จ “receipt,” ใบสมัคร “application form,” and ใบอนุญาต “permit.” It also appears in compounds for thin parts, such as ใบมีด “blade,” ใบพัด “propeller/fan blade,” and ใบเรือ “sail.” As a classifier, it is important in everyday Thai: ตั๋วสองใบ means “two tickets,” กระเป๋าหนึ่งใบ means “one bag,” and จานใบนี้ means “this plate.”
Usage
You will hear and use ใบ when talking about plants, shopping receipts, school or government forms, licenses, tickets, cards, and counting everyday objects. It is a high-frequency beginner-level word, especially in compounds and as a classifier.
Caution
ใบ does not match one English or Japanese counting word exactly. Books take เล่ม, cars take คัน, and people take คน. Also, “paper” as a material is normally กระดาษ; ใบ by itself does not always mean paper.
Differences from similar words
1 leaf synonyms
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ใบไม้ specifically means a plant leaf or leaves in everyday speech. ใบ can also mean “leaf,” but it often depends more on context or appears in compounds.
2 sheet synonyms
3 blade synonyms
4 [classifier for leaves, sheets, tickets, and cards] synonyms
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อัน is a very general classifier for many objects. With nouns that conventionally take ใบ, ใบ usually sounds more natural and specific.