หิ่งห้อย
firefly
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- 1 firefly
This word refers to a firefly, an insect known for producing flashes of light at night.
firefly
An insect that produces visible flashes of light in the dark.
Learning notes
Explanation
หิ่งห้อย is the ordinary Thai word for a firefly and is used naturally in both conversation and writing. As with insects and small animals generally, its classifier is ตัว: หิ่งห้อยหนึ่งตัว means “one firefly,” and หิ่งห้อยหลายตัว means “several fireflies.” It commonly appears with ส่องแสง “give off light,” เรืองแสง “glow,” and ดูหิ่งห้อย “watch fireflies.”
Usage
It is used when talking about seeing fireflies near rivers, wetlands, or forests, as well as when discussing wildlife and nighttime scenery. ดูหิ่งห้อย “watch fireflies” is also useful when talking about evening outings or nature tourism.
Caution
This specifically names a firefly rather than any insect that glows, and it does not itself mean “to glow.” Use verbs such as ส่องแสง or เรืองแสง to describe the light it produces. When counting fireflies, use the classifier ตัว.