tear
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- 1 tear、tears
An everyday noun for tears—the fluid that comes from the eyes because of emotion, pain, or physical irritation.
tear、tears
The fluid that wells up in or flows from the eyes in response to emotion, pain, or irritation.
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เธอเช็ดน้ำตา thəə chét nám taa She wiped away her tears. เธอเช็ดน้ำตา details
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ฉันกลั้นน้ำตาไม่อยู่ chǎn klân nám taa mây yùu I couldn't hold back my tears. ฉันกลั้นน้ำตาไม่อยู่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
น้ำ means “water” or “liquid,” and ตา means “eye,” but น้ำตา is normally understood as a single word meaning “tear” or “tears.” It is a neutral, everyday noun used in both speech and writing. It is not limited to tears of sadness. It can refer to tears caused by joy, strong emotion, pain, frustration, laughter, smoke, onions, or other irritation. In songs and stories, it may also symbolize sorrow, hardship, or deep emotion, but its basic meaning remains the actual fluid from the eyes. Common combinations include น้ำตาไหล “tears flow,” เช็ดน้ำตา “wipe away tears,” กลั้นน้ำตา “hold back tears,” and น้ำตาซึม “tears begin to well up.” To count individual drops, use หยด “drop,” as in น้ำตาหนึ่งหยด “one teardrop.”
Usage
Use it when describing someone crying, becoming emotional over a movie or song, shedding tears at a reunion or success, reacting to pain or frustration, or experiencing eye irritation from smoke or similar causes. It is also common in songs, fiction, and speeches as an image of hidden sorrow or personal hardship.
Caution
น้ำตา is the noun “tear(s),” while ร้องไห้ is the verb “to cry.” To say “I cried,” use ฉันร้องไห้, not ฉันน้ำตา. Also, do not confuse น้ำตา “tears” with น้ำตาล “sugar”; they are different words.