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Thai

รำ

Pronunciation

ram

รำ

ram

perform a traditional dance

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  1. 1 perform a traditional dance、dance with stylized movements
  2. 2 traditional dance、ceremonial dance
  3. 3 rice bran

This word commonly refers to performing a stylized or traditional dance, especially Thai dance. As an unrelated noun, it also means rice bran.

1

perform a traditional dance、dance with stylized movements

Verb⭐️3 Common

To perform a stylized dance, typically one with traditional, artistic, or ceremonial movements.

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2

traditional dance、ceremonial dance

Noun⭐️3 Common

A stylized dance or dance performance, especially one belonging to a Thai traditional art form.

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Learning notes

Explanation

รำ has two unrelated meaning families: traditional dancing and rice bran. The surrounding words normally make the intended meaning clear. In the dance-related sense, it evokes controlled movements of the hands, arms, fingers, and feet, especially in Thai traditional dance. การรำ is often used when the act of dancing needs to be expressed clearly as a noun. The rice-bran sense commonly appears in food and agricultural contexts. น้ำมันรำข้าว means “rice bran oil,” while รำข้าว is an explicit term for rice bran.

Usage

The dance-related sense is common in traditional dance lessons and performances, school events, festivals, cultural presentations, ceremonies, and the wai khru ritual performed in Muay Thai. The rice-bran sense appears in discussions of rice milling, food labels, cooking oil, farming, and animal feed.

Caution

For club dancing, party dancing, and most modern dance, เต้น is generally the natural verb. รำ is better suited to traditional, ceremonial, or formally stylized dancing. When referring unambiguously to dancing as a noun, forms such as การรำ or การแสดงรำ are often more natural.

Differences from similar words

1 perform a traditional dance synonyms

  • ร่ายรำ has a more graceful, artistic, or descriptive feel. รำ is the shorter and more neutral term.

  • เต้น is the general verb for dancing, including modern, social, and casual dancing. รำ is more strongly associated with traditional or stylized dance movements.

2 traditional dance synonyms

Component words

Other words containing รำ

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