ชะลอ
slow down (a vehicle or moving object)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 slow down (a vehicle or moving object)、reduce the speed of
- 2 delay (a plan or decision)、slow (a process or change)
This word means to make movement or an ongoing process proceed more slowly, usually without stopping it completely.
slow down (a vehicle or moving object)、reduce the speed of
To reduce the speed of a vehicle or another moving thing without bringing it to a complete stop.
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กรุณาชะลอความเร็ว karunaa chálɔɔ khwaam rew Please slow down. กรุณาชะลอความเร็ว details
delay (a plan or decision)、slow (a process or change)
To delay an action or reduce the pace of an ongoing process, without necessarily canceling or stopping it.
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ชะลอการตัดสินใจ chálɔɔ kaan tàtsǐncay delay making a decision ชะลอการตัดสินใจ details
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บริษัทชะลอแผนการลงทุน bɔɔrisàt chálɔɔ phɛ̌ɛn kaan loŋ thun The company delayed its investment plan. บริษัทชะลอแผนการลงทุน details
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ผลไม้ตระกูลเบอร์รีช่วยชะลอวัย phǒnlamáay tràkuun bəərii chûay chálɔɔ way Berries help slow down the aging process. ผลไม้ตระกูลเบอร์รีช่วยชะลอวัย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image is that of reducing the pace of something already in motion or progress. The common pattern is ชะลอ followed by the affected object, as in ชะลอรถ “slow a car down” and ชะลอการตัดสินใจ “delay a decision.” The pattern ชะลอการ followed by an action noun is especially common in news and business contexts. When something itself loses momentum, ชะลอตัว is often used, as in เศรษฐกิจชะลอตัว “the economy is slowing.” Older dictionaries may list senses such as carrying something cautiously or accompanying someone, but these are not priority meanings for learners of modern everyday Thai.
Usage
It is commonly used when drivers reduce speed near intersections, curves, or schools. It also appears frequently in news, government, and business contexts when investment, hiring, plans, or decisions are held back, and when processes such as disease transmission or aging are slowed.
Caution
ชะลอ normally does not mean stopping or canceling something completely. Use หยุด for “stop” and ยกเลิก for “cancel.” When an event is specifically rescheduled to a later date, เลื่อน is usually more natural.
Differences from similar words
1 slow down (a vehicle or moving object) synonyms
2 delay (a plan or decision) synonyms
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ยับยั้ง has the stronger sense of preventing, restraining, or stopping something. ชะลอ generally means slowing it without necessarily stopping it.
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เลื่อน commonly means rescheduling an event to a later date. ชะลอ focuses on holding back an action or reducing the pace of its progress.