เซ่อ
slow-witted
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 slow-witted、foolish、naive
Describes someone who seems slow to understand or respond and unable to handle a situation smoothly. It can also suggest being naive or easily fooled.
slow-witted、foolish、naive
Describes a person who appears slow-witted, awkwardly unaware of what is happening, or too naive to deal with others effectively.
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เขาดูเซ่อ ๆ ไม่ค่อยทันคน khǎw duu sə̂ə sə̂ə mây khɔ̂y than khon He seems a little naive and isn't very good at keeping up with other people. เขาดูเซ่อ ๆ ไม่ค่อยทันคน details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image of เซ่อ is someone whose thinking, reactions, or behavior seem too slow for the situation. คนเซ่อ is a slow or naive person, หน้าเซ่อ is a blank or foolish-looking face, and ยืนเซ่อ describes standing around looking clueless. ทำเป็นเซ่อ is a common expression meaning “to play dumb.” Repeating it as เซ่อ ๆ can soften the description to mean “a little naive or clueless-looking.”
Usage
It is used in everyday conversation for someone who looks confused, reacts slowly, lacks social savvy, or is easily fooled. It also describes a blank expression and appears in remarks telling someone not to pretend that they do not understand.
Caution
Calling someone เซ่อ directly can be insulting, so it is unsuitable for formal assessments. It is not always as blunt as โง่, but it is still generally negative. Do not confuse it with ซื่อ, meaning “honest,” or เผลอ, meaning “to do something inadvertently.”
Differences from similar words
1 slow-witted synonyms
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ซื่อ means honest and straightforward and may be complimentary. เซ่อ is more negative, suggesting that someone is too naive or socially unaware to handle a situation well.
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ทึ่ม emphasizes being mentally slow or dull. เซ่อ can additionally describe a clueless manner or an unsophisticated, naive person.
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โง่ directly and strongly calls someone unintelligent. เซ่อ focuses more on slow reactions, looking clueless, or lacking worldly experience.