ยุ่ง
yûng/juŋ˥˩/
The English word 'busy' is translated into Thai as ยุ่ง (yûng).
ยุ่ง is an adjective used to describe a person who is engaged or preoccupied. If you want to emphasize that someone is currently in the middle of being busy, you can use the colloquial phrase ยุ่งอยู่. If you specifically want to express that you are 'swamped' with work or tasks, the phrase ติดงาน is more appropriate.
Meaning: engaged or preoccupied (adj)
Which one should you use?
While ยุ่ง is used to describe a person who is preoccupied, the word วุ่นวาย is used to describe a situation that is chaotic or hectic.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that someone is 'very busy', place the word มาก after the adjective ยุ่ง to form ยุ่งมาก.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is romanized as yûng and the IPA is /juŋ˥˩/.
Did you know?
- The word ยุ่ง is used not only for schedules but also for physical messes, such as 'messy hair' (ผมยุ่ง).
- If you say you are ติดงาน, you are literally saying you are 'stuck' to your work.
- The word ยุ่ง originally meant 'entangled' or 'intertwined', much like a tangled knot of hair or thread.
Examples in context
- คุณดูยุ่งYou look busy.This sentence is useful for describing how someone looks using ยุ่ง.Tatoeba #8728796 by pastelite, translation #68945 by CK
- พวกเขายุ่งThey were busy.This sentence is useful for describing a state of being using ยุ่ง.Tatoeba #8675848 by pastelite, translation #307546 by CK
- เธอยุ่งมากShe was very busy.This sentence is useful for expressing a high degree of being busy using ยุ่ง.Tatoeba #8717407 by pastelite, translation #315716 by CK
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sirin calls Teerapat to ask if they can go for coffee.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinธีรภัทร ยุ่งอยู่หรือเปล่าTeerapat yung yu rue plaoTeerapat, are you busy?
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatตอนนี้ผมยุ่งนิดหน่อยครับton ni phom yung nid noi khrapI am a little busy right now.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinงั้นไว้ค่อยคุยกันก็ได้ngan wai khoi khui kan ko daiThen we can talk later.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatขอโทษด้วยนะครับkho thot duai na khrapI am sorry.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ยุ่ง, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ยุ่ง, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
