รั่ว
leak
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 leak、leak out、be leaky
- 2 weird、silly、not all there
รั่ว describes something leaking or escaping through a gap, hole, or weak point. It is used for water, gas, air, electricity, and also for information or secrets becoming known. In casual speech, it can also describe someone or something as odd, silly, or not quite together.
leak、leak out、be leaky
This sense means that liquid, gas, air, electricity, or information leaks or escapes. The subject can be the thing that leaks out, such as water or gas, or the object that has the leak, such as a roof, pipe, tire, or bottle.
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น้ำรั่ว náam rûa Water leaks. น้ำรั่ว details
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หลังคารั่ว lǎŋ khaa rûa The roof leaks. หลังคารั่ว details
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แก๊สรั่ว kɛ́ɛs rûa Gas is leaking. แก๊สรั่ว details
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ข้อมูลรั่ว khɔ̂ɔmuun rûa Information leaks. ข้อมูลรั่ว details
weird、silly、not all there
In slang, รั่ว describes a person, behavior, or joke as weird, silly, erratic, or not quite together. It can be playful among friends, but it can sound insulting depending on tone and relationship.
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เขารั่วมาก khǎw rûa mâak He is really weird. เขารั่วมาก details
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วันนี้ทำไมรั่วจัง wan níi thammay rûa caŋ Why are you acting so weird today? วันนี้ทำไมรั่วจัง details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image of รั่ว is a closed or contained thing having a gap or weak point, so something escapes. It is common in everyday repair and safety contexts: น้ำรั่ว for water leaking, แก๊สรั่ว for a gas leak, ยางรั่ว for a tire losing air, and หลังคารั่ว for a roof leaking. It also works naturally for secrets or data, as in ข้อมูลรั่ว, “data leaks.” In informal speech, it can describe a person or behavior as weird, goofy, or not quite together.
Usage
Use รั่ว when talking about leaks in pipes, roofs, tires, bottles, gas, or electricity. In news and business contexts, it is common for personal data, confidential information, documents, or exam papers being leaked. In casual conversation and on social media, it can also be used jokingly when someone is acting goofy or strangely.
Caution
รั่ว is not used for every English use of “leak.” For example, natural expressions like “a laugh escaped” or “a voice came through” usually need other wording. When used about a person, รั่ว is informal and can sound insulting, so avoid it with seniors, strangers, or in formal settings.
Differences from similar words
1 leak synonyms
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หลุด suggests something has slipped out, come loose, or been released into circulation, often used for photos or information online. รั่ว focuses more on leakage through a weak point, gap, or failure, as in gas leaks or data leaks.
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แพร่งพราย means to disclose or let a secret become known, and it is more limited to secrets or information. รั่ว is broader and covers both physical leaks and information leaks.
2 weird synonyms
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บ้า can be much stronger and may mean crazy, mad, or stupid, so it can easily offend. รั่ว can also be rude, but among friends it may simply mean goofy, odd, or amusingly not together.
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เพี้ยน means odd, off, or eccentric, often about someone’s thinking or behavior being out of line with normal expectations. รั่ว is more colloquial and can add a sense of silliness, looseness, or clowning around.