แขวน

Explanation

The core image is of something supported at one point above and hanging downward. The basic pattern is แขวน followed by the object: แขวนเสื้อ means “hang clothes,” while แขวนป้าย means “put up a sign.” Adding ไว้ emphasizes leaving it hanging, and อยู่ describes something as being in a hanging position. From the image of leaving something suspended come figurative slang uses: leaving a matter pending, and publicly exposing someone to criticism, especially online.

Usage

It is common in everyday situations involving clothes, bags, laundry, lamps, pictures, signs, and decorations. Its figurative uses appear when plans or cases are left pending and, in informal online language, when someone is publicly exposed to criticism or ridicule.

Caution

For installing machinery or equipment, ติดตั้ง is usually more appropriate. Do not use แขวนคอ for simply wearing a necklace; use ใส่สร้อยคอ instead. แขวนคอ means “to hang by the neck” and can refer to suicide or execution. The public-shaming sense is informal slang and may sound hostile, so it is unsuitable for formal or neutral descriptions.

1 hang synonyms

• ติด

  tìt stick to

  ติด broadly means to attach or stick something to a surface. แขวน specifically involves supporting it from above so that it hangs down.

• ห้อย

  hɔ̂y hang down

  ห้อย emphasizes dangling or hanging down as a shape or state. แขวน commonly describes the act of hanging something as well as the resulting position.

2 publicly shame synonyms

• ประจาน

  ประจาน directly means to expose someone publicly in order to disgrace them. แขวน is a slang equivalent often associated with online call-outs and public shaming.