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Thai

ผัด

Pronunciation

phàt

ผัด

phàt

stir-fry

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  1. 1 stir-fry
  2. 2 put off、ask for an extension
  3. 3 powder (the face or skin)

This word most commonly means to stir-fry food by moving it around in a hot pan with a little oil or water. It can also mean to put something off or to apply cosmetic powder.

1

stir-fry

Verb⭐️4 Often used

To cook food quickly in a hot pan with a small amount of oil or water while repeatedly stirring or turning it.

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2

put off、ask for an extension

Verb⭐️2 Not often used

To delay an obligation or ask for more time, often with the sense of putting off something that should already be done.

3

powder (the face or skin)

Verb⭐️1 Rarely used

To apply cosmetic powder to the face or skin. In everyday modern Thai, ทาแป้ง is also commonly used.

Learning notes

Explanation

The most important and frequent sense is “to stir-fry.” It describes cooking ingredients with a small amount of oil or water while stirring or turning them with a spatula. It appears very often in dish names. Depending on context, ผัดผัก can describe the action “stir-fry vegetables” or refer to a dish of stir-fried vegetables. ข้าวผัด has the reverse order and is the established name for fried rice. In its delay-related sense, ผัด is especially associated with putting off payments, work, responsibilities, or other obligations. The common expression ผัดวันประกันพรุ่ง means to keep postponing until another day—in other words, to procrastinate. In its cosmetic sense, it refers to rubbing or applying powder to the face or skin.

Usage

In the cooking sense, it is extremely common in recipes, home cooking, restaurant and street-food menus, and conversations about ordering food. In the delay-related sense, it is used when discussing postponed work, procrastination, payments, debts, or requests for more time. The powdering sense occurs when talking about cosmetics or applying powder to the skin.

Caution

For cooking, distinguish ผัด from ทอด. The latter generally means to fry or deep-fry with more oil, while ผัด normally involves stirring ingredients in a small amount of oil or water. For neutrally rescheduling a meeting or event, เลื่อน is usually more natural. Do not confuse ผัด with the similarly spelled ผลัด, which means to alternate, take turns, or change shifts. For example, “do it in turns” is ผลัดกันทำ.

Differences from similar words

1 stir-fry synonyms

2 put off synonyms

  • เลื่อน is the usual neutral word for rescheduling or postponing an event. ผัด often suggests delaying an obligation, payment, or task, or asking someone for additional time.

3 powder (the face or skin) synonyms

  • ทาแป้ง explicitly means to apply powder and is common in modern everyday speech. ผัด can express the same action by itself, though ผัดหน้า or ผัดแป้ง may be used to make the meaning clear.

Component words

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