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Thai

แป้ง

Pronunciation

pɛ̂ɛŋ

แป้ง

pɛ̂ɛŋ

flour

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  1. 1 flour、starch、starchy food
  2. 2 dough、batter、flour coating
  3. 3 face powder、body powder、talcum powder

This noun refers to edible flour or starch, mixtures made from them such as dough or batter, and cosmetic or body powder. These uses share the basic image of a fine, usually pale powder.

1

flour、starch、starchy food

Noun⭐️4 Often used

A general term for edible flour or starch made from grains, roots, or similar plant sources. It can also refer broadly to starchy foods in discussions of diet.

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2

dough、batter、flour coating

Noun⭐️3 Common

Flour or starch after it has been mixed with water, eggs, or other ingredients. Depending on the dish and accompanying verb, it may mean dough, batter, or a coating for frying.

Show more (1)
3

face powder、body powder、talcum powder

Noun⭐️4 Often used

A fine powder applied to the face or body, including makeup powder, talcum powder, and baby powder.

Learning notes

Explanation

The core image of แป้ง is a fine, powdery substance. In food contexts, it is broader than “wheat flour”: it can include rice flour, tapioca starch, and other plant-derived flours or starches. The source is commonly specified after the word, as in แป้งสาลี (wheat flour) and แป้งข้าวเจ้า (rice flour). The same word may still be used after the flour has been mixed with liquid. Its exact meaning then comes from the verb or the dish: นวดแป้ง means “knead the dough,” while ชุบแป้ง means “coat in batter or flour.” In grooming and cosmetic contexts, แป้ง means powder applied to the face or body. ทาแป้ง, “apply powder,” is a common combination. There is no single classifier used for every kind of แป้ง. It is counted by its container or unit, such as ถุง (bag), กิโล (kilogram), ช้อน (spoonful), or ตลับ (compact). แป้ง is also a common Thai nickname, particularly for women.

Usage

The word is common when buying or measuring baking ingredients, kneading dough, preparing batter, or coating food for frying. In everyday discussions of diet, it may refer collectively to starch-heavy foods such as rice, bread, and noodles. It is also used when discussing makeup, personal care, and applying baby powder.

Caution

Do not automatically translate แป้ง as “wheat flour.” On its own, it does not identify the source or intended use, so when shopping it is safer to specify the type, such as แป้งสาลี for wheat flour or แป้งเด็ก for baby powder. For the precise nutritional concept of carbohydrates, use คาร์โบไฮเดรต.

Differences from similar words

1 flour synonyms

  • คาร์โบไฮเดรต is the precise nutritional term for carbohydrates. แป้ง is used more loosely in everyday speech for starch or starch-heavy foods such as rice, noodles, and bread.

  • ผง is the general word for a powdered substance, including medicine, detergent, and spices. แป้ง, when used for food, specifically refers to flour or starch derived from plant ingredients.

3 face powder synonyms

  • เครื่องสำอาง is the broad term for cosmetics, including products such as lipstick and mascara. แป้ง refers specifically to powder-based makeup.

Component words

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