โป่ง
swell
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 swell、bulge out、puff out
- 2 balloon
- 3 salt lick、mineral lick、mineral-rich earth
This word mainly describes something swelling or bulging outward as if filled with air. It can also refer to a balloon or to mineral-rich ground where wild animals gather to obtain salt and other minerals.
swell、bulge out、puff out
Describes something becoming rounded and bulging outward, typically because it contains air or something similar.
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โรคถุงลมโป่งพอง rôok thǔŋ lom pòoŋ phɔɔŋ emphysema โรคถุงลมโป่งพอง details
balloon
Refers to an inflatable balloon, though the fuller form ลูกโป่ง is generally more common.
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ลูกโป่งสีแดง lûuk pòoŋ sǐi dɛɛŋ a red balloon ลูกโป่งสีแดง details
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เป่าลูกโป่ง pàw lûuk pòoŋ blow up a balloon เป่าลูกโป่ง details
salt lick、mineral lick、mineral-rich earth
Refers to mineral-rich, often salty ground where wild animals gather to lick or eat the soil.
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บริเวณนี้มีโป่งธรรมชาติ bɔɔriween níi mii pòoŋ thammachâat There is a natural mineral lick in this area. บริเวณนี้มีโป่งธรรมชาติ details
Learning notes
Explanation
As a verb, โป่ง does not simply mean “become larger.” It describes a rounded part projecting outward as though pushed or filled from within. Common combinations include ท้องโป่ง for a bulging belly and แก้มโป่ง for puffed-out cheeks. As a noun, it can mean “balloon,” although the full form ลูกโป่ง is more useful and more commonly encountered in everyday Thai. Its other noun use belongs mainly to discussions of forests and wildlife. It refers to salty, mineral-rich soil or the place where such soil is found. Wild animals visit these sites to obtain minerals. In น้ำโป่ง, the word refers to mineral-rich water emerging from underground or to a mineral spring.
Usage
In everyday conversation, it is used to describe rounded, swollen-looking bellies, cheeks, bags, and similar objects. The “mineral lick” sense is common in national-park information, wildlife documentaries, and writing about forests or conservation.
Caution
โป่ง and ป่อง are distinct spellings, though their meanings overlap closely when describing a rounded protrusion; both ท้องโป่ง and ท้องป่อง may be encountered. For “balloon,” learners should remember ลูกโป่ง as the usual full word rather than relying on โป่ง alone.
Differences from similar words
1 swell synonyms
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ป่อง is also commonly used for a rounded, protruding belly or similar shape and is very close to โป่ง. โป่ง more strongly suggests a swelling that looks as though it is filled with air.
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พอง broadly describes swelling or expanding because of air, moisture, or another cause. โป่ง focuses more on the resulting rounded bulge that projects outward.