ค้างคาว
bat (animal)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 bat (animal)
This is the everyday Thai word for a bat, the winged mammal that is typically active at night.
bat (animal)
A winged mammal, many species of which fly and feed at night.
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ค้างคาวบินตอนกลางคืน kháaŋkhaaw bin tɔɔn klaaŋ khʉʉn Bats fly at night. ค้างคาวบินตอนกลางคืน details
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ในถ้ำมีค้างคาวหลายตัว nay thâm mii kháaŋkhaaw lǎay tua There are many bats in the cave. ในถ้ำมีค้างคาวหลายตัว details
Learning notes
Explanation
ค้างคาว is the neutral, standard Thai noun for a bat. It is used naturally in both conversation and writing. Bats are mammals, not birds. They are counted with ตัว, the common classifier for animals: ค้างคาวหนึ่งตัว means “one bat,” and ค้างคาวสองตัว means “two bats.” For practical purposes, learn ค้างคาว as a single animal name rather than trying to derive its meaning from ค้าง and คาว separately.
Usage
It commonly appears in conversations about caves, forests, zoos, wildlife, and nocturnal animals. It is also the ordinary word used when a bat enters a house or other building.
Caution
Do not normally add นก (“bird”) before this word. A bat is simply called ค้างคาว, not นกค้างคาว.