สุรา
liquor
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 liquor、alcoholic beverages
A formal term for liquor or alcoholic beverages, commonly used in laws, news reports, warnings, and public-health information.
liquor、alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic drinks considered collectively, especially in formal, official, or public contexts.
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สุราเป็นของมึนเมา sùraa pen khɔ̌ɔŋ mʉn maw Alcohol is intoxicating. สุราเป็นของมึนเมา details
Learning notes
Explanation
สุรา is a formal noun for liquor or alcoholic beverages. It is readily understood in conversation, but เหล้า is usually more natural when casually talking about drinking. Common combinations include การดื่มสุรา (“alcohol consumption”), จำหน่ายสุรา (“sell alcoholic beverages”), and งดดื่มสุรา (“abstain from alcohol”). In traditional or technical distinctions, สุรา may refer specifically to distilled spirits as opposed to fermented drinks. In modern official usage, however, it often covers alcoholic beverages in general. Bottles of liquor are counted with ขวด.
Usage
It commonly appears in laws and regulations concerning alcohol sales or taxation, news about drunk driving, health warnings, and campaigns encouraging people to avoid alcohol.
Caution
สุรา does not normally mean alcohol as a chemical substance or rubbing alcohol; use แอลกอฮอล์ for those meanings. It can also sound rather formal in casual conversation.
Differences from similar words
1 liquor synonyms
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เหล้า is the usual everyday word for alcohol or liquor and may specifically suggest distilled spirits in some contexts. สุรา is more formal and is common in official writing, regulations, and warnings.