เล่ม
[classifier for books and notebooks]
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 [classifier for books and notebooks]、[classifier for knives, swords, and certain similar objects]
A classifier used to count books and certain objects such as knives and swords, or to identify a particular one of them.
[classifier for books and notebooks]、[classifier for knives, swords, and certain similar objects]
The classifier for books and for certain objects such as knives and swords. It is also used to identify a particular item, as in “this book” or “which knife.”
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หนังสือสองเล่ม nǎŋsʉ̌ʉ sɔ̌ɔŋ lêm two books หนังสือสองเล่ม details
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หนังสือเล่มนี้น่าสนใจ nǎŋsʉ̌ʉ lêm níi nâa sǒncay This book looks interesting. หนังสือเล่มนี้น่าสนใจ details
Show more (2)
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คุณอ่านเล่มไหนอยู่ khun àan lêm nǎy yùu Which book are you reading? คุณอ่านเล่มไหนอยู่ details
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มีดเล่มนี้คมมาก mîit lêm níi khom mâak This knife is very sharp. มีดเล่มนี้คมมาก details
Learning notes
Explanation
เล่ม is primarily a classifier. To give a quantity, Thai normally uses the order “noun + number + classifier,” so “two books” is หนังสือสองเล่ม. To identify a particular item, it appears between the noun and a demonstrative: หนังสือเล่มนี้ means “this book.” When the object is clear from context, the noun can be omitted, as in เล่มนี้ “this one” and เล่มไหน “which one.” Its most important use is with bound items such as หนังสือ (book), สมุด (notebook), and พจนานุกรม (dictionary). It is also used with certain bladed objects, including มีด (knife) and ดาบ (sword).
Usage
It is common in bookstores and libraries, when talking about buying, reading, or borrowing books, and when choosing one book from several. It is also used to count or identify knives and certain similar tools.
Caution
หนังสือสองเล่ม means “two books,” while หนังสือเล่มที่สอง means “the second book” or “volume two.” เล่ม cannot be used for every long or narrow object; items such as pens and pencils take other classifiers.
Differences from similar words
1 [classifier for books and notebooks] synonyms
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ฉบับ commonly counts issues of newspapers or magazines, documents, manuscripts, and copies or editions of publications. เล่ม is the usual classifier for a physical book or notebook viewed as a bound volume.