หนัง
movie
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 movie、film
- 2 skin、animal hide、leather
- 3 shadow-puppet theater、shadow puppetry
This word refers to skin or animal hide, including leather used as a material. In everyday conversation, it also commonly means a movie, while in traditional arts it can refer to Thai shadow-puppet theater.
movie、film
In everyday speech, it means a movie or film, whether watched in a theater, on television, or through a streaming service.
skin、animal hide、leather
It refers to the skin covering a person or animal and can also mean animal hide or leather when used as a material.
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หนังไก่ทอดกรอบ nǎŋ kày thɔ̂ɔt krɔ̀ɔp Crispy fried chicken skin หนังไก่ทอดกรอบ details
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กระเป๋าหนัง krapǎw nǎŋ a leather bag กระเป๋าหนัง details
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รองเท้าหนัง rɔɔŋ tháaw nǎŋ leather shoes รองเท้าหนัง details
shadow-puppet theater、shadow puppetry
It refers to traditional Thai shadow-puppet theater, in which figures made from animal hide are illuminated behind a screen.
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หนังตะลุง nǎŋ taluŋ Nang Talung, southern Thai shadow-puppet theater หนังตะลุง details
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หนังใหญ่ nǎŋ yày Nang Yai, shadow theater using large hide figures หนังใหญ่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The concrete meaning of หนัง is the skin covering a body or an animal hide, including leather. When it follows the name of a product, as in กระเป๋าหนัง (“leather bag”), it describes the material. In modern everyday speech, หนัง very commonly means “movie.” A basic expression is ดูหนัง, “to watch a movie.” Movies are counted with เรื่อง: หนังหนึ่งเรื่อง means “one movie.” The shadow-theater sense is most often encountered in names such as หนังตะลุง and หนังใหญ่. This use is connected to the figures traditionally being made from animal hide.
Usage
It is frequent in everyday conversations about going to the movies, discussing a film, or naming a favorite genre. It is also used for skin in food and anatomy and for describing leather bags, shoes, and other products. In discussions of traditional Thai performing arts, it refers to shadow-puppet theater.
Caution
The intended meaning depends on context: ดูหนัง normally means “watch a movie,” while กระเป๋าหนัง means “leather bag.” Also, หนังสือ is the complete word for “book”; หนัง by itself does not mean “book.”
Differences from similar words
1 movie synonyms
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ภาพยนตร์ also means “film” but is more formal and is common in official names, news, and writing. หนัง is the usual choice in casual conversation.
2 skin synonyms
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ผิว focuses on the appearance or condition of a person’s skin and can also mean the surface of an object. หนัง more directly denotes the physical skin, animal hide, or leather.