The Difference Between เจ็บ (jèp), ปวด (bpuɑ̀t) & เมื่อย (mwɑ̂y)
When talking about pain in Thai, there are several words that have the same or at least similar meanings and they sometimes are confusing. In this lesson, we would like to go over them and discuss when they are used.
เจ็บ (jèp) = to hurt [still doing that (transliterated) formatting here]
(v.) to feel pain in a part of your body or to injure someone or cause them pain
(v.) to cause emotional pain to someone
(v.) to cause harm or difficulty
(adj.) to be injured or in pain; to be upset or unhappy
The word jèp (เจ็บ) is used to express discomfort that continues for some time. It is usually associated with a specific part of the body, such as a headache, stomach ache or toothache; similarly, it can describe the feeling of a bruise or overworked muscles.
Examples:
แขนฉันเจ็บ
khɛ̌ɛn chɑ̌n jèp
My arm hurts.
มันยังเจ็บมากอยู่
mɑn yɑŋ jèp mɑ̂ɑk yùu
It still hurts a lot.
มีหลายคนได้รับบาดเจ็บในอุบัติเหตุ
mii lɑ̌ɑy khon dɑ̂ɑy rɑ́p bɑ̀ɑt jèp nɑi ù bɑ̀t dtì hèet
Many people were hurt in the accident.
หลังจากที่ฉันเลิกกับแฟน ฉันเจ็บมาก
lɑ̌ŋ jɑ̀ɑk thîi chɑ̌n lə̂ək gɑ̀p fɛɛn, chɑ̌n jèp mɑ̂ɑk
After my girlfriend and I broke up, I was really hurt.
ความเจ็บ/ ความเจ็บปวด (khwɑɑm jèp/bpuɑ̀t) = pain
(n.) feeling of physical suffering caused by injury or illness.
(n.) emotional or mental suffering.
(adj.) If something pains you, it causes you to feel sad and upset.
It is [? What is?] usually stronger, more sudden, more difficult to ignore and takes a longer time to heal. As a noun, ความเจ็บปวด (khwɑɑm jèp/bpuɑ̀t) is an emotional or psychological hurt (such as humiliation or a bad experience). It’s used when you have a bruise or if you break a bone, tear a muscle, etc.
Examples:
ผมรู้สึกปวด(ที่)มือ
phǒm rúu sẁk bpuɑ̀t (thîi) mww
I feel a pain in my hands.
ถ้าคุณรู้สึกถึงความเจ็บปวดของฉัน คุณจะเข้าใจว่าฉันรู้สึกอย่างไร
thɑ̂ɑ khun rúu sẁk thw̌ŋ khwaam jèp bpuɑ̀t khɔɔ̌ŋ chɑ̌n, khun jɑ̀ khɑ̂w jɑi wɑ̂ɑ chɑ̌n rúu sẁk yɑŋ ŋɑi
If you feel my pain, you will understand how I feel.
ครูของผมมีอาการปวดหลังรุนแรงมา 3 เดือนแล้ว
khruu khɔɔ̌ŋ phǒm mii ɑɑ gɑɑn bpuɑ̀t lɑ̌ŋ mɑɑ 3 dwɑn lɛɛ́w
My teacher has had severe back pain for three months now.
ปวด (bpuɑ̀t) = to ache
(n.) a continuous pain that is unpleasant but not very strong.
(n.) used in combination with parts of the body to mean a continuous pain in the stated part.
(v.) to have a continuous pain that is unpleasant but not very strong.
It is discomfort that continues for some time. It is usually associated with a specific part of the body, such as a headache, a stomach ache, a toothache, it’s used when you have a bruise, if you overworked your muscles, walked for a too long time, etc. You would feel pain when you exercise.
Examples:
ฉันปวดหัว
chɑ̌n bpuɑ̀t hǔɑ
I have a headache.
ฉันปวดท้อง
chɑ̌n bpuɑ̀t thɔ́ɔŋ
I have a stomachache.
แฟนเก่าฉันรู้สึกปวดไปทั้งตัวหลังจากประสบอุบัติเหตุ
fɛɛn gɑ̀w chɑ̌n rúu sẁk bpuɑ̀t bpɑi thɑ́ŋ dtuɑ lɑ̌ŋ jɑ̀ɑk bprɑ̀ sòp ù bɑ̀t dtì heèt
My ex-boyfriend ached* all over after he got an accident.
เมื่อย (mwɑ̂y)
(v.) to feel stiff, achy or sore
(adj.) aching
Mwɑ̂y (เมื่อย) is used in reference to the pain of overworked muscles, tiredness from remaining in one position for too long, general soreness, etc.
Examples:
ฉันเมื่อยไปหมดทั้งตัว
chɑ̌n mwɑ̂y bpɑi mòt thɑ́ŋ dtuɑ
I’m sore all over.
เมื่อยขาเพราะยืนนานเกินไป
mŵɑy khɑ̌ɑ phrɔ́ ywwn nɑɑn gəən bpɑi
(Her/His/My) legs were aching from standing so long.
ทอมรู้สึกปวดเมื่อยไปทั้งตัวหลังจากวิ่งมาราธอน
Tom rúu sẁk bpuɑ̀t mwɑ̂y bpɑi thɑ́ŋ dtuɑ lɑ̌ŋ jɑ̀ɑk wîng mɑɑ rɑ thɔɔnTom aches all over after running a marathon.
Talking about pain, there are also many words that have the same or at least similar meaning in Thai language and they sometimes are confusing. So, in this lesson, we would like to bring them up and discuss meaning in Thai used.
1. เจ็บ (jèp) = Hurt
(v.) to feel pain in a part of your body or to injure someone or cause them pain
(v.) to cause emotional pain to someone
(v.) to cause harm or difficulty
(adj.) to injured or in pain/ to upset or unhappy
It is discomfort that continues for some time. It is usually associated with a specific part of the body, such as a headache, a stomach ache, a toothache, it’s used when you have a bruise, if you overworked your muscles, walked for too long, etc. You would feel pain when you exercise.