เลน
mud
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 mud、mire
- 2 lane
This noun refers either to soft, wet mud found around waterways and wetlands or to a marked lane on a road or sports facility. The second meaning comes from English “lane.”
mud、mire
Soft, waterlogged mud that collects on riverbeds, in wetlands, or along muddy shores.
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เดินลุยเลน dəən luy leen Walk through the mud. เดินลุยเลน details
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เรือติดเลน rʉa tìt leen The boat is stuck in the mud. เรือติดเลน details
lane
A lengthwise section marked off for traffic, swimming, racing, or another specific use.
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เปลี่ยนเลน plìan leen Change lanes. เปลี่ยนเลน details
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ขับรถอยู่เลนซ้าย khàp rót yùu leen sáay Drive in the left lane. ขับรถอยู่เลนซ้าย details
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ห้ามจอดในเลนจักรยาน hâam cɔ̀ɔt nay leen càkkrayaan Do not park in the bike lane. ห้ามจอดในเลนจักรยาน details
Learning notes
Explanation
เลน has two unrelated meanings. In its native sense, it means soft, wet mud found around waterways or wetlands. Compared with ดิน, the general word for soil or earth, it suggests waterlogged ground in which people or boats can become stuck. It is also a loanword from English “lane.” In this sense, it refers to a marked section of a road, swimming pool, or sports facility. It is especially common in everyday driving expressions such as เปลี่ยนเลน, “change lanes.”
Usage
The mud sense appears in discussions of rivers, wetlands, tidal flats, mangrove areas, and boats. The lane sense is common in driving, traffic information, road signs, bike infrastructure, swimming, and racing.
Caution
The two meanings share the same spelling but are distinguished by context. Do not confuse เลน with เลนส์, which means “lens” and has an additional silent ส์.
Differences from similar words
1 mud synonyms
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โคลน is a general word for mud, including mud formed on the ground after rain. เลน more often suggests soft mud deposited in riverbeds, wetlands, or tidal areas.