แอ่งกระทะ

Explanation

The word combines แอ่ง, meaning a depression or basin, with กระทะ, meaning a frying pan or wok. Its literal image is therefore a pan-shaped hollow. It refers to terrain with a low center and higher land around it. Because water, cold air, smoke, and air pollution can become trapped in such terrain, the word also appears in discussions of flooding and air quality.

Usage

It is used in descriptions of geography and topography, especially for cities or plains enclosed by mountains. It also appears in educational materials and news reports about flooding, haze, trapped air, and PM2.5 pollution.

Caution

Although กระทะ by itself refers to cookware, แอ่งกระทะ normally refers to terrain shaped like a pan. For an ordinary small hollow or a puddle, แอ่ง or แอ่งน้ำ is usually more appropriate.

1 bowl-shaped basin synonyms

• แอ่ง

  ɛ̀ŋ depression

  แอ่ง is a general word for a depression, low-lying area, or basin. แอ่งกระทะ is more specific and emphasizes a bowl-like shape with a low center and higher surrounding land.

• แอ่งน้ำ

  แอ่งน้ำ is a water-filled hollow or puddle. แอ่งกระทะ describes the bowl-like shape of the terrain itself, whether or not it contains water.