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Thai

ครรภ์

Pronunciation

khan

ครรภ์

khan

womb

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  1. 1 womb
  2. 2 pregnancy

This word centers on carrying a child inside the mother’s body. It refers to the womb or pregnancy and is especially common in medical, official, and other relatively formal expressions.

1

womb

Noun⭐️2 Not often used

It refers to the place inside the mother’s body where a baby develops, usually appearing in expressions such as ในครรภ์ “in the womb.”

2

pregnancy

Noun⭐️3 Common

It refers to the state or period of pregnancy and most commonly occurs in established expressions such as ตั้งครรภ์ and อายุครรภ์.

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Learning notes

Explanation

ครรภ์ expresses the idea of a child being carried inside the mother’s body. From this central image, it is used for both the womb and pregnancy. In modern Thai, it is more often found in established expressions than used by itself. Important forms include ตั้งครรภ์ “to become or be pregnant,” มีครรภ์ “to be pregnant,” อายุครรภ์ “gestational age,” and ในครรภ์ “in the womb.” The word has a relatively formal and neutral tone. It is especially common in healthcare, public information, news reports, and discussions of pregnancy and childbirth, although ตั้งครรภ์ is also perfectly natural in ordinary conversation.

Usage

It is frequently used at obstetric clinics when discussing gestational age or fetal health, as well as in medication warnings, maternal-health information, and news or articles about pregnancy and childbirth. ตั้งครรภ์ is also a natural, neutral way to talk about being pregnant in everyday conversation.

Caution

Do not use ครรภ์ for the belly in general or for a full stomach after eating; ท้อง is used in those senses. To refer clearly to the unborn baby itself, use ทารกในครรภ์ or เด็กในครรภ์ rather than ครรภ์ alone.

Differences from similar words

1 womb synonyms

  • ท้อง is the everyday word for the belly and can also refer to being pregnant. ครรภ์ is more formal and specifically evokes the womb or pregnancy, making it common in medical and official contexts.

Component words

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