countless
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- 1 countless、innumerably
Describes something as so numerous that it cannot realistically be counted.
countless、innumerably
Follows a noun to describe a countless quantity, or functions adverbially to emphasize how many or how often.
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มีดาวนับไม่ถ้วนบนท้องฟ้า mii daaw náp mây thûan bon thɔ́ɔŋ fáa There are countless stars in the sky. มีดาวนับไม่ถ้วนบนท้องฟ้า details
Learning notes
Explanation
The expression consists of นับ (“count”), ไม่ (“not”), and ถ้วน (“completely, without omission”), giving the image of being unable to count every last one. It commonly emphasizes that something is extremely numerous rather than making a literal claim about countability. It can describe people and objects as well as abstract things such as reasons, problems, and memories. A common pattern is “noun + นับไม่ถ้วน.” The phrase นับครั้งไม่ถ้วน means “countless times” or “time and again.”
Usage
Used in conversation and writing to emphasize very large numbers of people or things, repeated experiences, or numerous reasons, problems, possibilities, and other abstract ideas.
Caution
It is stronger than มาก (“many”) and may sound deliberately emphatic or exaggerated. Use นับไม่ได้ when you simply mean that counting is impossible because of the circumstances, rather than that the quantity is extraordinarily large.
Differences from similar words
1 countless synonyms
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มากมาย broadly means “many” or “a great deal.” นับไม่ถ้วน is stronger and presents the quantity as too large to count.