ชวน
invite (someone to do something)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 invite (someone to do something)
- 2 evoke (a feeling or reaction)、make someone feel like doing something
This word is used to draw someone toward an action or response. It commonly means inviting someone to do something together, and it can also describe something that evokes a thought, feeling, or reaction.
invite (someone to do something)
To ask or encourage someone to join an activity or take a particular action, often together with the speaker.
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ชวนเพื่อนไปกินข้าว chuan phʉ̂an pay kin khâaw invite a friend out for a meal ชวนเพื่อนไปกินข้าว details
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เขาชวนฉันไปเที่ยว khǎw chuan chǎn pay thîaw He invited me to go out with him. เขาชวนฉันไปเที่ยว details
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ชวนเขามาด้วยสิ chuan khǎw maa dûay sì Invite him to come along too. ชวนเขามาด้วยสิ details
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ชวนคุย chuan khuy strike up a conversation ชวนคุย details
evoke (a feeling or reaction)、make someone feel like doing something
To evoke a particular thought, feeling, or reaction through the effect that something has on a person.
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เรื่องนี้ชวนให้คิด rʉ̂aŋ níi chuan hây khít This story makes you think. เรื่องนี้ชวนให้คิด details
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บรรยากาศชวนฝัน banyaakàat chuan fǎn The atmosphere is dreamy. บรรยากาศชวนฝัน details
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ท่าทางของเขาชวนขำ thâa thaaŋ khɔ̌ɔŋ khǎw chuan khǎm The way he acts makes you want to laugh. ท่าทางของเขาชวนขำ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of ชวน is drawing someone toward an action or response. With people, a common pattern is ชวน + person + action. For invitations involving movement, ชวน + person + ไป or มา + action/place is especially common. For example, ชวนเพื่อนไปกินข้าว means asking a friend to go eat together. ชวนคุย literally draws someone into conversation, so it commonly means “strike up a conversation” or “start talking to someone.” The subject can also be a thing, situation, or atmosphere. Expressions such as ชวนให้คิด (“make you think”) and ชวนขำ (“make you want to laugh”) describe the response that it naturally evokes.
Usage
It is common in everyday situations such as inviting a friend to eat or travel, suggesting a shared activity to a coworker, or starting a conversation. It is also used when describing how a story, scene, atmosphere, or behavior evokes thought, laughter, or another response.
Caution
ชวน describes the invitation or encouragement itself; it does not mean that the other person accepted. For a formal invitation, เชิญ may be more appropriate, while เชิญชวน is often used for a broader call encouraging people to participate.
Differences from similar words
1 invite (someone to do something) synonyms
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ชักชวน often suggests actively encouraging or persuading someone to act. ชวน is the more basic word and works naturally for an ordinary invitation to a meal or outing.
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เชิญ is also used to politely offer something or formally invite a guest. ชวน focuses more on casually asking someone to join an activity, often with the speaker.
2 evoke (a feeling or reaction) synonyms
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ทำให้ is a general expression meaning “cause” or “make.” ชวน more specifically suggests that the quality or impression of something naturally draws out a reaction.