เอาถ่าน
ao-tàanMeaning
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, 'ไม่เอาถ่านไม่เอาถ่านmâi-ao-tàangood-for-nothing; idle' (mâi ao thàan), meaning 'useless' or 'good-for-nothing').
Examples
ลูกน้องlûuk-nɔ́ɔngลูกน้องlûuk-nɔ́ɔng1subordinate; junior staff; underling2follower in a gang or groupคนใหม่kon-màiคนใหม่kon-mài1new person; newcomer; new member/hire2new romantic partner (colloquial)ดูเป็นduu-bpenดูเป็นduu-bpen[to] seem; [to] look likeคนkonคนkon1person; human2classifier: people3[to] stir; mix by stirringเอาถ่านao-tàanเอาถ่านao-tàan[to] be capable; competent; reliableดีนะdii-náดีนะdii-ná1good; thank goodness2luckily; it's a good thing (that...)สั่งsàngสั่งsàng1[to] order [sth]; place an order (food/goods)2[to] command; instruct; direct3[to] prescribe; order (medical/legal/official)อะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyก็gɔ̂ก็gɔ̂1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerทำได้tam-dâaiทำได้tam-dâai1[to] be able to do [sth]2I/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.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkǎoโตdtooจนjonป่านนี้bpàan-níiแล้วlɛ́ɛoยังyangไม่mâiเอาถ่านao-tàanเลยləəiยังyangขอkɔ̌ɔเงินngənพ่อแม่pɔ̂ɔ-mɛ̂ɛอยู่yùuเลยləəi
He's already this old and is still good-for-nothing; he's still asking his parents for money.
ตอนแรกdtɔɔn-rɛ̂ɛkก็gɔ̂คาดหวังkâat-wǎngไว้wáiสูงsǔungแต่dtɛ̀ɛสุดท้ายsùt-táaiเขาkǎoก็gɔ̂พิสูจน์pí-sùutให้เห็นhâi-hěnว่าwâaเป็นbpenคนkonไม่mâiเอาถ่านao-tàanและlɛ́ไม่จริงจังmâi-jing-jangกับgàpอนาคตà-naa-kót
At first, I had high hopes, but in the end, he proved to be incompetent and not serious about his future.
ถ้าtâaอยากจะyàak-jàประสบความสำเร็จbprà-sòp-kwaam-sǎm-rètในnaiชีวิตchii-wítก็gɔ̂ต้องdtɔ̂ngทำตัวtam-dtuuaให้hâiเป็นbpenคนkonเอาถ่านao-tàanกว่าgwàaนี้níiหน่อยnɔ̀i
If you want to be successful in life, you need to make yourself a more capable person.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel เ-า hides a final -ว, so it is live.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Mid tone
ao
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Mid class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |
Word Breakdown
เอาaoเอาao1[to] take; get; pick2[to] want (request/ordering)3[to] use; employ4[to] bring/take (for use)5marker: adverse consequence6come on; all right; go ahead7[to] have sex (vulgar slang)8keep on (doing); on and on (V + เอา ๆ)[to] take; get; pickPart 1
+
เอาถ่านao-tàanเอาถ่านao-tàan[to] be capable; competent; reliable[to] be capable; competent; reliableWord