ไหล่
shoulder
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 shoulder、shoulder (of clothing)
- 2 shoulder-like projecting or sloping part
This word primarily refers to the shoulder between the neck and upper arm. It is also used for the shoulder of clothing and, mainly in compounds, for projecting or sloping parts such as a road shoulder.
shoulder、shoulder (of clothing)
The outer shoulder area where the upper arm meets the body, as well as the corresponding part of clothing.
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เสื้อตัวนี้ไหล่แคบไป sʉ̂a tua níi lày khɛ̂ɛp pay This shirt is too narrow in the shoulders. เสื้อตัวนี้ไหล่แคบไป details
shoulder-like projecting or sloping part
A projecting edge or sloping section resembling a human shoulder, used mainly in established compounds.
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จอดรถบนไหล่ทาง cɔ̀ɔt rót bon lày thaaŋ Park the car on the shoulder of the road. จอดรถบนไหล่ทาง details
Learning notes
Explanation
This is the ordinary, neutral word for the human shoulder, especially the rounded outer area near the upper-arm joint. ไหล่ซ้าย means “left shoulder,” ไหล่ขวา means “right shoulder,” and ไหล่ทั้งสองข้าง or ไหล่สองข้าง refers to both shoulders. The word also appears in compounds for parts shaped like a shoulder. For example, ไหล่ทาง means “road shoulder.” This extended meaning is normally encountered in established compounds rather than as a free-standing use of ไหล่.
Usage
It is common in everyday conversations about shoulder pain, exercise, massage, touching someone’s shoulder, carrying a bag, and the fit of clothing. Its compounds also occur in driving and descriptions of terrain.
Caution
Do not treat ไหล่ and บ่า as fully interchangeable. ไหล่ usually refers to the shoulder near the upper-arm joint, while บ่า often focuses on the sloping area closer to the neck or the part that bears a load. For shoulder stiffness or soreness, Thai commonly describes the actual symptom, such as ปวดไหล่, “to have shoulder pain.”
Differences from similar words
1 shoulder synonyms
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บ่า often emphasizes the area sloping from the neck or the part used to carry a load. ไหล่ is the more general word for the outer shoulder around the upper-arm joint.