พัดลม
electric fan
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 electric fan
This everyday word refers to an electric fan that creates airflow for cooling or ventilation.
electric fan
An electrically powered device that moves air to cool people, circulate air, or ventilate a space.
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พัดลมไม่หมุน phát lom mây mǔn The fan isn't spinning. พัดลมไม่หมุน details
Learning notes
Explanation
พัดลม combines พัด (“to fan” or “to move air”) and ลม (“wind” or “air”), giving it the basic image of a device that produces airflow. It commonly refers to a household electric fan, but it can also describe a cooling fan in a machine. Frequent combinations include เปิดพัดลม (“turn on the fan”) and ปิดพัดลม (“turn off the fan”). Fans are commonly counted with ตัว in everyday speech; เครื่อง can also be used when treating them as electrical appliances.
Usage
It is used when turning a fan on or off, adjusting its speed or direction, buying an appliance, or describing a malfunction. It also appears in terms for ceiling fans, exhaust fans, and cooling fans inside machines.
Caution
A handheld fan is พัด, not พัดลม. To say “the wind blows,” use ลมพัด with the words in the opposite order. An air conditioner is แอร์ or เครื่องปรับอากาศ and is not called พัดลม.