รถเมล์
public bus
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 public bus、city bus
It refers to a public bus that follows a regular route and serves designated stops.
public bus、city bus
A public bus used for everyday transportation along a fixed route.
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รถเมล์สายนี้ไปสยามไหม rót mee sǎay níi pay sàyǎam mǎy Does this bus go to Siam? รถเมล์สายนี้ไปสยามไหม details
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รถเมล์หมดกี่โมง rót mee mòt kìi mooŋ What time do the buses stop running? รถเมล์หมดกี่โมง details
Learning notes
Explanation
รถเมล์ is the everyday Thai term for a public bus that operates along a regular route and stops at designated bus stops. It is especially common when discussing city buses in Bangkok. The word consists of รถ, meaning “vehicle,” and เมล์, which historically comes from English “mail.” In modern usage, however, รถเมล์ does not mean “mail truck”; the whole expression means a regular public bus. Common combinations include ขึ้นรถเมล์ (get on a bus), ลงรถเมล์ (get off a bus), and รอรถเมล์ (wait for a bus). When counting buses as vehicles, use the classifier คัน: รถเมล์สองคัน means “two buses.”
Usage
This word is common in conversations about everyday travel, such as commuting, going to school, or shopping. It is frequently used when asking about bus routes, destinations, fares, waiting times, or where to get on and off.
Caution
รถเมล์ primarily means a regular public bus, so it is not normally the best term for a tour bus, chartered coach, or intercity bus. Also, ขึ้นรถเมล์ focuses on boarding the bus; to say that someone travels somewhere by bus, use ไปรถเมล์ or นั่งรถเมล์ไป.
Differences from similar words
1 public bus synonyms
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รถบัส is a broader term for a bus or coach and can include chartered vehicles. รถเมล์ specifically suggests a public bus running on a regular route.