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Thai

เว้น

Pronunciation

wén

เว้น

wén

leave a gap

Native recording

Analyzing pitch…

  1. 1 leave a gap、keep (a space) vacant
  2. 2 skip、exclude
  3. 3 refrain from、abstain from、avoid

This word describes deliberately leaving a gap or leaving something out. Depending on the context, it can mean “leave space,” “omit,” or “refrain from.”

1

leave a gap、keep (a space) vacant

Verb⭐️3 Common

To leave a gap or interval in space, time, or a sequence.

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2

skip、exclude

Verb⭐️4 Often used

To leave a person, item, or part out of a group, list, or process.

3

refrain from、abstain from、avoid

Verb⭐️3 Common

To deliberately avoid an action or abstain from something, often for health, moral, or practical reasons.

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Learning notes

Explanation

The central idea of เว้น is deliberately taking one part out of a continuous whole and leaving a gap there. With space, it means leaving distance or an empty seat. With time, it means leaving an interval. With questions or list items, it means skipping them. With an action, it means refraining from doing it. วันเว้นวัน is the common fixed expression for “every other day.” เว้นแต่ should be learned as a unit meaning “unless” or “except when,” introducing an exceptional condition.

Usage

It is used when leaving physical distance, keeping a seat empty, spacing events apart, or skipping an item or question. It also appears when someone avoids food, alcohol, or another activity for health, rules, or self-discipline. In notices and regulations, it can function like the formal request “please refrain from.”

Caution

For an explicit “except,” ยกเว้น is generally clearer and more common than เว้น alone. Use เว้นแต่ for a conditional exception meaning “unless.” งด may be more natural when an activity, event, or service is temporarily suspended. Also, วันเว้นวัน means “every other day,” not “every day.”

Differences from similar words

1 leave a gap synonyms

2 skip synonyms

3 refrain from synonyms

  • งด commonly means suspending an activity, event, service, or consumption for a period. เว้น means deliberately refraining from or avoiding an action and often appears in more formal wording.

  • หลีกเลี่ยง emphasizes staying away from risks, problems, or undesirable things. เว้น more often presents an action as something one chooses not to do.

Component words

Other words containing เว้น

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