คุ้น
be familiar
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 be familiar、recognize vaguely、have seen or heard before
- 2 be used to、be accustomed to、be comfortable with
- 3 be acquainted with、be familiar with someone、be on familiar terms
คุ้น describes the feeling that something is familiar because you have seen, heard, or experienced it before. Depending on context, it can mean recognizable, familiar, used to, or comfortably acquainted with someone or something.
be familiar、recognize vaguely、have seen or heard before
Used when a face, voice, name, place, or sound feels familiar from previous experience, even if you cannot clearly identify it.
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หน้าคุ้น ๆ nâa khún khún a familiar-looking face หน้าคุ้น ๆ details
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เพลงนี้คุ้นหูมาก phleeŋ níi khún hǔu mâak This song sounds very familiar. เพลงนี้คุ้นหูมาก details
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ที่นี่ดูคุ้นตา thîi nîi duu khún taa This place looks familiar. ที่นี่ดูคุ้นตา details
be used to、be accustomed to、be comfortable with
Used when someone has become used to an environment, activity, food, routine, or way of doing something.
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ฉันยังไม่คุ้นกับอาหารไทย chǎn yaŋ mây khún kàp aahǎan thay I'm still not used to Thai food. ฉันยังไม่คุ้นกับอาหารไทย details
be acquainted with、be familiar with someone、be on familiar terms
Used for people who are familiar to each other through prior contact, without necessarily implying deep closeness.
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เราคุ้นกันมานาน raw khún kan maa naan We've known each other for a long time. เราคุ้นกันมานาน details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of คุ้น is prior contact: something does not feel new or strange because you have encountered it before. It does not always mean you fully know or remember it. A common pattern is คุ้นกับ + noun/action, meaning “be familiar with” or “be used to.” The softened form คุ้น ๆ often means “somehow familiar” or “vaguely recognizable.”
Usage
This word is common in everyday conversation. Use it when a face looks familiar, a song or name sounds familiar, or someone is getting used to a new job, place, lifestyle, or food. For relationships, it describes people who are familiar to each other through previous contact, without necessarily being close friends.
Caution
คุ้น is not the same as รู้จัก, which means knowing who or what someone or something is. You can say a face is คุ้น even if you cannot identify the person. It is also weaker than สนิท, which means being close or intimate with someone.
Differences from similar words
1 be familiar synonyms
2 be used to synonyms
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ชิน means being used to something, often to the point that it no longer bothers you. คุ้น also includes the sense of prior familiarity, not just adaptation.
3 be acquainted with synonyms
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สนิท means close or intimate in a relationship. คุ้น is weaker and can simply mean familiar through repeated contact.