หนาว
cold
Native recording
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- 1 cold、chilly
A basic word for low-temperature conditions and for feeling cold. It can describe the weather or a place, as well as a person's physical sensation.
cold、chilly
Describes weather, air, or a place as having an uncomfortably low temperature.
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วันนี้อากาศหนาว wan níi aakàat nǎaw The weather is cold today. วันนี้อากาศหนาว details
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ที่นี่หนาวมาก thîi nîi nǎaw mâak It's very cold here. ที่นี่หนาวมาก details
Learning notes
Explanation
หนาว is a very common everyday word. It can describe an external condition, as in อากาศหนาว (“the weather is cold”), or a person's sensation, as in ฉันหนาว (“I'm cold”). Thai state words can serve directly as predicates, so no separate equivalent of “am” is needed in ฉันหนาว. In expressions such as หนาวนี้, it can refer to “this cool season” or “this winter.” It does not ordinarily mean “lonely” by itself in modern everyday Thai.
Usage
It is used when talking about cold weather, cool-season mornings and evenings, northern or mountainous climates, and heavily air-conditioned rooms. It is also common when asking whether someone feels cold or suggesting that they put on warm clothing.
Caution
Use เย็น rather than หนาว for an object that is cold to the touch or for a cold drink; for example, “cold water” is น้ำเย็น. To express being emotionally alarmed or getting an ominous chill, Thai normally uses a fuller expression such as หนาวใจ rather than หนาว alone.
Differences from similar words
1 cold synonyms
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เย็น usually means “cool” or “cold to the touch” and is widely used for objects and mildly low temperatures. หนาว generally describes weather or surroundings cold enough to cause physical discomfort.