ว่าย
swim
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 swim、move through water
Describes moving through water by using the arms, legs, fins, or similar body parts. For people, it is most commonly used as ว่ายน้ำ, meaning “to swim.”
swim、move through water
Describes a person or animal propelling itself through water.
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เขาว่ายน้ำทุกเช้า khǎw wâay náam thúk cháaw He swims every morning. เขาว่ายน้ำทุกเช้า details
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ปลาว่ายอยู่ในบ่อ plaa wâay yùu nay bɔ̀ɔ The fish are swimming in the pond. ปลาว่ายอยู่ในบ่อ details
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เขาว่ายข้ามแม่น้ำ khǎw wâay khâam mɛ̂ɛnáam He swam across the river. เขาว่ายข้ามแม่น้ำ details
Learning notes
Explanation
ว่าย centers on the image of a living creature propelling itself through water with its arms, legs, fins, tail, or similar body parts. When referring to a person swimming, Thai normally uses ว่ายน้ำ rather than ว่าย by itself. With fish and other aquatic animals, ว่าย alone is natural when the watery setting is already clear, as in ปลาว่าย (“the fish swims”). It can be followed by a direction or route, as in ว่ายไป (“swim onward”), ว่ายกลับ (“swim back”), and ว่ายข้ามแม่น้ำ (“swim across the river”). To say that someone knows how to swim as a learned skill, Thai commonly uses ว่ายน้ำเป็น; the negative is ว่ายน้ำไม่เป็น.
Usage
Common in conversations about swimming in pools, the sea, or rivers, swimming practice and habits, the ability to swim, and the movement of fish or other aquatic animals.
Caution
For a person simply “swimming,” ว่ายน้ำ is normally more natural than bare ว่าย. ว่ายน้ำเป็น emphasizes knowing how to swim as a learned skill, while ว่ายน้ำได้ can also refer to being able to swim under particular circumstances. Use ลอย, rather than ว่าย, when something merely floats without propelling itself.
Differences from similar words
1 swim synonyms
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แหวกว่าย also means to swim or make one's way through something, but it is more descriptive and can sound literary or figurative. ว่าย is the neutral everyday verb.