เลว
leeo/leːw˧/
The English word 'bad' can be translated into Thai as either แย่ or เลว (leeo).
Meaning: unfavorable, negative (adj)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| เลว | leeo | /leːw˧/ |
| แย่ | yɛ̂ɛ | /jɛː˥˩/ |
Thai uses different words for 'bad' depending on whether you are describing a quality, a situation or a person's morality. Use แย่ to describe unpleasant situations, poor quality or feelings, such as 'the weather is bad' or 'I feel bad'. Use เลว to describe someone's character or actions as being morally wicked or evil.
Which one should you use?
แย่ is used for things that are poor, unpleasant or in a bad state, such as an unpleasant situation or a bad feeling. In contrast, เลว is used specifically to describe a person's character or actions as being morally bad, wicked or evil.
How do you pronounce it?
leeo
Did you know?
- The word เลว might be etymologically linked to words meaning 'corpse' or 'carcass' in Pali, suggesting a connection between moral badness and something dead or decaying.
- The word เลว is so strong that using it in a casual argument could be seen as a severe character assassination.
- If you want to say a person is behaving badly in a lighthearted or playful way, you should avoid both แย่ and เลว, as neither captures the nuance of being 'naughty'.
Examples in context
- มันดูไม่แย่เลยIt doesn't look so bad.This sentence uses แย่ to describe how something looks.Tatoeba #10189694 by Somsak, translation #2591016 by CK
- ทอมไม่ได้เป็นคนเลวจริงๆTom isn't really such a bad person.This sentence uses เลว to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #10703954 by Somsak, translation #2712837 by CK
- ผมรู้สึกแย่กับสิ่งที่ผมทำI feel bad for what I did.This sentence uses แย่ to describe a feeling.Tatoeba #10531760 by Somsak, translation #10342249 by doemaar14
- สภาพอากาศไม่ดีThe weather is bad.
- การบริการไม่ดีThe service is bad.
- ประสบการณ์ไม่ดีIt's a bad experience.
- สภาพเมืองแย่ลงThe city's condition is getting worse.
- อารมณ์แย่Bad mood.
- อาหารแย่มากThe food is really bad.
- สภาพรถไฟแย่มากThe train's condition is really bad.
- อากาศแย่มากในช่วงฤดูร้อนThe weather is really bad during the hot season.
- เครื่องทำกาแฟพังThe coffee machine is broken.
- คอมพิวเตอร์พังThe computer is malfunctioning.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing a person's behavior in a cafe.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเขาเป็นคนเลวมากkhao pen khon leo makHe is a very bad person.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritทำไมคุณถึงคิดแบบนั้นtham-mai khun thueng khit baep nanWhy do you think that?
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเขาทำตัวเลวกับเพื่อนkhao tham tua leo kap phueanHe acted badly toward his friends.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritเรื่องนี้มันฟังดูแย่จริงๆrueang ni man fang du yae ching-chingThat sounds really bad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bad” translations and entries เลว, แย่, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries เลว, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
