อาศัย
live
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 live、reside、inhabit
- 2 rely on、depend on
- 3 make use of、use as a means、take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance)
This word presents a place, person, resource, or circumstance as the basis that makes living or an action possible. Depending on the context, it can mean “live,” “rely on,” or “make use of.”
live、reside、inhabit
Describes making a place one’s home or habitat. It is used for both people and living organisms.
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ฉันอาศัยอยู่ที่กรุงเทพฯ chǎn aasǎy yùu thîi kruŋthêep I live in Bangkok. ฉันอาศัยอยู่ที่กรุงเทพฯ details
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เขาอาศัยอยู่กับพ่อแม่ khǎw aasǎy yùu kàp phɔ̂ɔ mɛ̂ɛ He lives with his parents. เขาอาศัยอยู่กับพ่อแม่ details
rely on、depend on
Describes depending on a person, income, resource, or other support in order to live or function.
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เขาต้องอาศัยพ่อแม่ khǎw tɔ̂ŋ aasǎy phɔ̂ɔ mɛ̂ɛ He has to rely on his parents. เขาต้องอาศัยพ่อแม่ details
make use of、use as a means、take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance)
Describes using a method, technology, opportunity, or circumstance as the means or basis for achieving something.
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of อาศัย is that something provides the base, support, or means that makes life or an action possible. When that basis is a place, the word means “live” or “inhabit.” With a person, income, or resource, it means “rely on.” With technology, a method, or an opportunity, it means “make use of.” For residence, อาศัยอยู่ is especially common. Typical patterns include อาศัยอยู่ที่ + place, “live at/in a place”; อาศัยอยู่กับ + person, “live with someone”; and อาศัยอยู่ใน + environment, “live or inhabit an environment.” The pattern อาศัยว่า followed by a fact or circumstance can mean using that fact to one’s advantage. Depending on the context, it may carry a critical sense similar to “taking advantage of the fact that…”
Usage
It is commonly used when discussing where someone lives, who they live with, or where an organism is found. It also appears when describing dependence on people, income, or resources and when explaining the means, technology, or opportunity used to accomplish something. Its residence-related uses are frequent in forms, notices, and formal descriptions as well as everyday speech.
Caution
When stating where someone lives, อาศัยอยู่ที่ + place is the clearest standard pattern; using อาศัยที่ by itself may sound incomplete in ordinary contexts. The “make use of” sense is not inherently exploitative. If you specifically mean manipulating or exploiting a person, a verb such as หลอกใช้, “deceive and use someone,” is more explicit.
Differences from similar words
1 live synonyms
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พัก commonly refers to staying somewhere temporarily or resting. อาศัย usually presents the place as a home or habitat.
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อยู่ is the everyday verb for being, staying, or living somewhere. อาศัย more explicitly refers to residing or inhabiting and is common in descriptive or somewhat more formal contexts.
2 rely on synonyms
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พึ่งพา states dependence or the need for support more directly. อาศัย is broader and can also describe simply relying on or benefiting from someone or something.
3 make use of synonyms
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ใช้ is the general, direct verb meaning “use.” อาศัย emphasizes that something serves as the means, basis, or favorable condition that makes an action possible.