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Thai

ตื่นเต้น

Components

ตื่น
เต้น

Pronunciation

tʉ̀ʉntên

be excited

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  1. 1 be excited、be thrilled、be nervous and keyed up

It describes feeling emotionally stirred or keyed up, whether from happy anticipation, excitement, or nervousness.

1

be excited、be thrilled、be nervous and keyed up

Verb⭐️4 Often used

To feel emotionally aroused and unable to remain completely calm because of anticipation, pleasure, surprise, or nervousness.

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Learning notes

Explanation

ตื่นเต้น centers on being emotionally stirred enough that it is difficult to remain completely calm. It can describe both pleasant anticipation and nervous tension. For a person's feelings, it is used as in ฉันตื่นเต้น, meaning “I'm excited” or, depending on the situation, “I'm nervous.” To describe a movie, experience, or event that produces excitement, Thai normally uses น่าตื่นเต้น, meaning “exciting” or “thrilling.” The word combines ตื่น, associated with waking or becoming startled, and เต้น, meaning to bounce, dance, or beat. In everyday use, however, it is best learned as a single expression.

Usage

It is common when looking forward to travel, gifts, or a new experience, and also when feeling nervous before an exam, interview, or presentation. ตื่นเต้นกับ introduces the thing causing the feeling, while ตื่นเต้นที่จะได้ followed by a verb expresses excitement about an upcoming opportunity.

Caution

By itself, ตื่นเต้น does not specify whether the feeling is pleasant excitement or nervous tension; the context supplies that distinction. Use น่าตื่นเต้น for something that is exciting. It is also different from กังวล, which emphasizes ongoing worry, and กลัว, which expresses fear.

Differences from similar words

1 be excited synonyms

  • ประหม่า specifically means feeling nervous or self-conscious, especially in an unfamiliar or high-pressure situation. ตื่นเต้น is broader and can describe either nervous tension or happy excitement.

Component words

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