เชื่อ
believe
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 believe、trust、believe (that ...)、have faith in
- 2 listen to (someone’s advice)、obey
- 3 buy on credit、buy now and pay later
This word mainly means accepting a statement, person, or idea as true or trustworthy. It can also mean following someone’s advice or buying something on credit, depending on the context.
believe、trust、believe (that ...)、have faith in
To accept something as true or to place trust or faith in a person, ability, or idea.
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ฉันเชื่อคุณ chǎn chʉ̂a khun I believe you. ฉันเชื่อคุณ details
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เชื่อในตัวเอง chʉ̂a nay tuaeeŋ Believe in yourself. เชื่อในตัวเอง details
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เขาไม่เชื่อเรื่องผี khǎw mây chʉ̂a rʉ̂aŋ phǐi He doesn’t believe in ghosts. เขาไม่เชื่อเรื่องผี details
listen to (someone’s advice)、obey
To accept someone’s advice or instructions and act accordingly.
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เชื่อฉันเถอะ chʉ̂a chǎn thə̀ Trust me and do as I say. เชื่อฉันเถอะ details
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ทำไมไม่เชื่อแม่ thammay mây chʉ̂a mɛ̂ɛ Why don’t you listen to your mother? ทำไมไม่เชื่อแม่ details
buy on credit、buy now and pay later
To receive goods now and pay for them later rather than paying immediately.
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ขอซื้อเชื่อได้ไหม khɔ̌ɔ sʉ́ʉ chʉ̂a dâay mǎy Can I buy this on credit? ขอซื้อเชื่อได้ไหม details
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ร้านนี้ไม่ขายเชื่อ ráan níi mây khǎay chʉ̂a This store does not sell on credit. ร้านนี้ไม่ขายเชื่อ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea is accepting something as true or dependable. The basic pattern is เชื่อ followed by a person or topic. เชื่อคุณ can mean believing what someone says or trusting that person, depending on the context. เชื่อว่า introduces a full clause meaning “believe that ...” เชื่อใน is commonly used for faith or confidence in a person’s abilities, an ideal, or a religion. Because accepting someone’s words can lead to following their advice, เชื่อ can also mean “listen to” or “do as someone says.” เชื่อฟัง makes the sense of obedience clearer. In commercial contexts, it usually appears in combinations such as ซื้อเชื่อ “buy on credit” and ขายเชื่อ “sell on credit.”
Usage
It is common in everyday conversations about whether a claim is true, whether someone can be trusted, or whether a person has confidence in an ability, idea, or faith. It also appears when urging someone to follow advice. The credit-related sense is used in discussions between sellers and customers about deferred payment.
Caution
Do not use เชื่อว่า for every instance of “think that.” It implies belief that something is true; คิดว่า is more natural for an ordinary opinion or guess. เชื่อ followed by a person can mean either believing that person or listening to their advice. Use เชื่อฟัง when you specifically want to express obedience.
Differences from similar words
1 believe synonyms
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ศรัทธา expresses deep faith or reverent confidence, often toward a religion, person, or ideal. เชื่อ is more general and is also used for ordinary claims and information.
2 listen to (someone’s advice) synonyms
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ทำตาม focuses on carrying out an instruction or following a procedure. เชื่อ also suggests accepting the person’s advice or judgment as sound.
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เชื่อฟัง explicitly means obeying or following instructions. เชื่อ alone can mean listening to someone in context, but it may instead be understood as believing them.