atmosphere
Native recording
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- 1 atmosphere、a touch of (an era, culture, or style)、lingering traces
A noun for a subtle quality that seems to linger around a place, period, culture, or work of art. It can also refer to a faint, lingering scent, though its figurative use is especially common.
atmosphere、a touch of (an era, culture, or style)、lingering traces
A subtle atmosphere or character that evokes a particular culture, era, style, or influence, including traces of the past that can still be felt.
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image is something intangible that can nevertheless be sensed around a person, place, or object, much like a scent in the air. In contemporary usage, the figurative meaning is especially prominent. It is often used for towns, architecture, interiors, music, films, and other things that subtly evoke a particular culture, period, or style. Common patterns include มีกลิ่นอายของ + noun (“have a touch of ...”), มีกลิ่นอายแบบ + style (“have a ... feel”), and ยังคงมีกลิ่นอายของ + noun (“still retain traces of ...”).
Usage
It commonly appears in travel writing, cultural commentary, advertising, and descriptions of architecture or interior design. It is also useful for saying that music, film, literature, or fashion subtly evokes a certain era or culture. For literal smells, it is most natural in evocative descriptions of a scent lingering in the air.
Caution
For a straightforward reference to an ordinary smell, กลิ่น is usually more natural; for example, “the smell of food” is normally กลิ่นอาหาร. กลิ่นอาย does not inherently mean a bad smell, so use กลิ่นเหม็น or another explicit expression when unpleasant odor is intended.
Differences from similar words
1 atmosphere synonyms
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บรรยากาศ is the general atmosphere or mood of a place or situation. กลิ่นอาย focuses on a subtle quality that evokes a particular era, culture, style, or influence.