เอาถ่าน(ao tàan)

Meanings

1VerbB2

[to] be capable; competent; reliable

To be capable, competent, or reliable; to show promise. (This term is idiomatic and most often used in its negative form, 'ไม่เอาถ่าน' (mâi ao thàan), meaning 'useless' or 'good-for-nothing').

Examples

ลูกน้องlôok nóngลูกน้องlôok nóng1subordinate; junior staff; underling2follower in a gang or groupคนใหม่kon màiคนใหม่kon mài1new person; newcomer; new member/hire2new romantic partner (colloquial)ดูเป็นdoo bpenดูเป็นdoo bpen[to] seem; [to] look likeคนkonคนkon1person; human2people (as a group)3person; human being (as prefix-like element)4classifier: peopleเอาถ่านao tàanเอาถ่านao tàan[to] be capable; competent; reliableดีนะdee náดีนะdee ná1good; thank goodness2luckily; it's a good thing (that...)3yeah, great (ironic)สั่งsàngสั่งsàng1[to] command; instruct; direct2[to] order [sth]; place an order (food/goods)3[to] prescribe; order (medical/legal/official)อะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2which; what (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3(aspect) continuation into the future4gone; past (serial verb use)ก็gâwก็gâw1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3even; after all (emphasis/justification)4conditional marker (if… then…)5topic/resumption markerทำได้tam dâiทำได้tam dâi1[to] be able to do [sth]2[!] I/we did it!3[to] be allowed to do [sth]หมดmòtหมดmòt1all gone; none left2[to] run out; be used up3completely; entirely4in total; altogether
The new subordinate seems quite capable. Whatever I ask him to do, he gets it all done.

Related Words

Word Breakdown

เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: purpose/focus6marker: insistence/emphasis7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)Part 1
+
ถ่านtàanถ่านtàan1charcoal2battery; battery cell3carbon (electrode)Part 2
เอาถ่านao tàanเอาถ่านao tàan[to] be capable; competent; reliable