ย่าม
shoulder bag
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 shoulder bag、cloth satchel、monk's shoulder bag
This word refers to a simple cloth shoulder bag used for carrying small items, especially the kind commonly associated with Buddhist monks.
shoulder bag、cloth satchel、monk's shoulder bag
A cloth bag with a strap, carried over the shoulder. It suggests a simple satchel rather than a modern handbag or backpack, and is often associated with monks.
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ย่ามพระ yâam phrá a monk's shoulder bag ย่ามพระ details
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สะพายย่าม saphaay yâam to carry a shoulder bag สะพายย่าม details
Learning notes
Explanation
The basic meaning of ย่าม is a cloth shoulder bag. In Thailand it is strongly associated with the bag carried by monks, as in ย่ามพระ, so it often appears in temple or traditional-life contexts. The usual classifier is ใบ, as in ย่ามหนึ่งใบ. A separate common expression is ย่ามใจ, meaning to become overconfident, complacent, or reckless.
Usage
It is common in contexts involving temples, monks, almsgiving, traditional travel, or rural life. For an ordinary everyday bag, กระเป๋า is usually the more natural general word.
Caution
Calling any modern shoulder bag ย่าม can make it sound like a monk's bag or an old-style cloth satchel. For the figurative meaning, it is safest to learn it as the expression ย่ามใจ rather than using ย่าม freely on its own.