driver's license
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- 1 driver's license
An everyday Thai term for a driver's license, referring either to the legal authorization to drive or to the physical license card.
driver's license
The authorization to operate a vehicle or the physical card that proves the holder has that authorization.
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เขาไปต่อใบขับขี่ khǎw pay tɔ̀ɔ bay khàp khìi He went to renew his driver's license. เขาไปต่อใบขับขี่ details
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ใบขับขี่หมดอายุแล้ว bay khàp khìi mòt aayú lɛ́ɛw The driver's license has already expired. ใบขับขี่หมดอายุแล้ว details
Learning notes
Explanation
ใบขับขี่ is the usual everyday term for a driver's license. It can refer both to the physical card and to the legal authorization to drive. ใบ commonly appears in words for documents, cards, and other flat objects, while ขับขี่ means “to operate a vehicle.” Formal administrative writing may use ใบอนุญาตขับรถ instead. Common combinations include ทำใบขับขี่ “get a driver's license,” สอบใบขับขี่ “take a driving-license test,” and ต่อใบขับขี่ “renew a driver's license.” The classifier for license cards is ใบ.
Usage
It is commonly used at traffic stops, when renting a vehicle, and when discussing getting, renewing, carrying, or checking the expiration of a driver's license.
Caution
Unlike the broad English word “license,” this term normally refers specifically to a license for operating a vehicle. ขับขี่ by itself means operating or driving a vehicle; it does not mean “driver's license.”
Differences from similar words
1 driver's license synonyms
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This is the formal administrative term for a license authorizing someone to operate a vehicle. ใบขับขี่ is the shorter, usual term in everyday speech.