ป้าย

Explanation

As a noun, ป้าย broadly refers to something that displays words, pictures, or symbols for people to see. It commonly precedes a word describing the sign's content or purpose: ป้ายชื่อ is a name tag, ป้ายราคา a price tag, and ป้ายจราจร a traffic sign. In transportation contexts, it can refer not only to the physical sign but also to the stopping place itself. Thus, ป้ายหน้า normally means “the next stop” when someone is traveling by bus or similar transportation. As a verb, it describes dabbing or smearing medicine, sauce, or another substance onto a surface. This physical image also underlies figurative expressions such as ป้ายความผิด, “pin the blame on someone,” and ป้ายสี, “smear or discredit someone.” ป้าย can itself serve as the classifier for signs and stops. แผ่น may also be used when a sign is viewed primarily as a flat board or sheet.

Usage

It is common in everyday discussions of shop signs, road signs, information boards, name tags, and price labels. It is also an important travel word when locating a bus stop, waiting for a bus, or getting off at the next stop. As a verb, it is used when dabbing medicine onto a wound or smearing a substance such as sauce with a finger. Its figurative uses often appear in arguments or news reports about shifted blame, false accusations, or attacks on someone's reputation.

Caution

ป้าย is not the usual verb for every kind of painting or application. ทา is generally more natural for painting a wall or spreading cream evenly over a broad area. Also note that although ป้ายสี can be interpreted literally in an appropriate physical context, when used about a person it commonly means to smear, discredit, or create a damaging impression of them.

1 sign synonyms

• ฉลาก

  chalàak label

  ฉลาก specifically refers to a product or package label, often one listing contents or ingredients. ป้าย is broader and also covers shop signs, information signs, and name tags.

• เครื่องหมาย

  เครื่องหมาย is a symbol or mark that carries meaning. ป้าย usually refers to the physical sign or tag on which words or symbols are displayed.

2 transit stop synonyms

• สถานี

  sathǎanii station

  สถานี refers to a station or a larger transportation facility. ป้าย refers to an individual roadside or en-route stop and is especially common for buses.

3 smear synonyms

• ทา

  thaa apply

  ทา is the general verb for applying medicine, cosmetics, paint, and similar substances, including spreading them evenly. ป้าย suggests dabbing or smearing on a smaller amount, sometimes roughly.

4 pin blame on someone synonyms

• โยนความผิด

  โยนความผิด is a conversational expression meaning to shift or throw blame onto someone else. ป้ายความผิด more strongly suggests unfairly fastening guilt onto a person.

• ใส่ร้าย

  ใส่ร้าย is a general verb for slandering or falsely accusing someone. ป้าย, especially in ป้ายความผิด and ป้ายสี, evokes smearing blame or a damaging image onto someone.

5 [classifier for signs, signals, and transit stops] synonyms

• แผ่น

  phɛ̀n [classifier for thin or flat objects]

  แผ่น is a general shape-based classifier for flat, thin objects and can be used for a physical signboard. ป้าย counts the item specifically as a sign or stop.