เสา
pillar
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 pillar、post、pole、column
- 2 [classifier for poles or pillars]
This is the basic word for an upright support such as a pillar, post, pole, or column. It is used for house pillars, utility poles, flagpoles, antennas, and similar vertical structures.
pillar、post、pole、column
An upright object that supports something or holds something up, such as a pillar, post, pole, or column.
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เสาบ้าน sǎw bâan a house pillar เสาบ้าน details
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เสาไฟฟ้า sǎw fay fáa a utility pole เสาไฟฟ้า details
Show more (2)
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เสาธง sǎw thoŋ a flagpole เสาธง details
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เขาชนเสา khǎw chon sǎw He hit a pole. เขาชนเสา details
[classifier for poles or pillars]
Used as a classifier for poles or pillars, though ต้น is also commonly used in everyday speech.
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เสาสองเสา sǎw sɔ̌ɔŋ sǎw two pillars เสาสองเสา details
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เสาหนึ่งต้น sǎw nʉ̀ŋ tôn one pole เสาหนึ่งต้น details
Learning notes
Explanation
เสา has the image of something upright that supports or holds something up. It covers building pillars, roadside utility poles, flagpoles, masts, antenna supports, and similar objects. In English, the best translation depends on the object: pillar, post, pole, column, flagpole, utility pole, and so on. For counting, ต้น is common, as in เสาหนึ่งต้น, but เสา itself can also be used as a classifier, as in เสาสองเสา.
Usage
This word is common when talking about buildings, construction, utility poles, streetlights, flagpoles at schools or government offices, and antenna or communication equipment. It is a practical everyday word for physical structures and installations.
Caution
The word for Saturday is เสาร์, which is spelled differently from เสา. Also, for figurative uses like “the main support of an organization,” Thai may prefer words such as หลัก depending on the context.
Differences from similar words
1 pillar synonyms
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หลัก can mean a post or stake, but it is also widely used for abstract ideas such as a principle, basis, or main point. เสา is usually more concrete: a physical upright pillar, post, or pole.
2 [classifier for poles or pillars] synonyms
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ต้น is a broad classifier for trees and upright slender objects, and it is natural with เสา. Using เสา as the classifier is more specific to pillars or poles themselves.