BaanWords

centimetre

เซนติเมตร - Thai translation

Main Translations

  • English: centimetre
  • Thai: เซนติเมตร (Primary Translation 1)
  • Phonetic: sen-tee-mee-tr (Romanized phonetic pronunciation, based on standard Thai romanization)
  • Detailed Explanation: The word "centimetre" refers to a unit of length in the metric system, equivalent to one-hundredth of a meter (0.01 meters or approximately 0.3937 inches). It is commonly used in scientific, educational, and everyday contexts for precise measurements, such as the length of small objects, distances in diagrams, or dimensions in manufacturing. Emotionally, it conveys neutrality and precision, often associated with technical accuracy rather than emotional or poetic connotations. Semantic nuances include its role in fostering global standardization, as the metric system is widely adopted internationally. In Thai, "เซนติเมตร" is used similarly, reflecting Thailand's adoption of the metric system since the 19th century, and it appears in contexts like education, health (e.g., measuring body parts), and commerce.
  • Thai: ซม. (Secondary Translation 2, abbreviated form)
  • Phonetic: som (Romanized phonetic for the abbreviation)
  • Detailed Explanation: The abbreviated form "ซม." is a shortened version of "เซนติเมตร," commonly used in informal or technical writing to save space, such as in product labels, charts, or quick notes. It retains the same precise, neutral connotation but is more efficient in casual or professional scenarios, like noting measurements in recipes or engineering blueprints. In Thai culture, this abbreviation highlights practicality and efficiency in communication, especially in fast-paced environments like markets or workshops.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "centimetre" is primarily used as a noun in contexts involving measurement and quantification. It appears in everyday situations like shopping, education, and health, as well as professional settings such as science, engineering, and business. In Thai, "เซนติเมตร" follows similar patterns, with common usage in educational tools, medical examinations, and daily conversations about sizes. Its neutral and factual nature makes it versatile across formal and informal scenarios, emphasizing accuracy in a globalized world where the metric system is standard.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

  • English: The product dimensions are 10 centimetres by 5 centimetres.
  • Thai: ขนาดของสินค้ามี 10 เซนติเมตร x 5 เซนติเมตร
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "The product dimensions" (subject, noun phrase) + "are" (verb, linking) + "10 centimetres by 5 centimetres" (object, noun phrase with numerical modifiers). In Thai, "ขนาดของสินค้า" (subject) + "มี" (verb, meaning "to have") + "10 เซนติเมตร x 5 เซนติเมตร" (object).
  • Structural Analysis: This declarative sentence follows a subject-verb-object structure, common in business communication for clarity. The use of "centimetre" as a unit of measurement adds precision, which is essential in commercial contexts to avoid misunderstandings.

Leisure Scenario

  • English: I need a frame that's exactly 20 centimetres wide for my photo.
  • Thai: ฉันต้องการกรอบรูปที่มีความกว้าง 20 เซนติเมตรพอดี
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "I need" (subject + verb) + "a frame" (object) + "that's exactly 20 centimetres wide" (relative clause). In Thai, "ฉันต้องการ" (subject + verb) + "กรอบรูป" (object) + "ที่มีความกว้าง 20 เซนติเมตรพอดี" (descriptive clause).
  • Structural Analysis: This sentence uses a simple declarative structure with a relative clause for detail, making it conversational for leisure activities. "Centimetre" here emphasizes personal preference and accuracy in hobbies like photography.

Formal Occasion

  • English: The blueprint specifies a tolerance of 0.5 centimetres for the component.
  • Thai: แบบแปลนระบุความคลาดเคลื่อนที่ 0.5 เซนติเมตรสำหรับชิ้นส่วน
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "The blueprint" (subject) + "specifies" (verb) + "a tolerance of 0.5 centimetres" (object phrase). In Thai, "แบบแปลน" (subject) + "ระบุ" (verb) + "ความคลาดเคลื่อนที่ 0.5 เซนติเมตร" (object).
  • Structural Analysis: The sentence employs a formal, precise structure typical of technical documents, where "centimetre" functions as a modifier for accuracy in engineering or architectural discussions.

Informal Occasion

  • English: This ruler is only marked in centimetres, not inches.
  • Thai: ไม้บรรทัดอันนี้มีเครื่องหมายเป็นเซนติเมตรอย่างเดียว ไม่มีนิ้ว
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "This ruler" (subject) + "is only marked" (verb phrase) + "in centimetres, not inches" (prepositional phrase). In Thai, "ไม้บรรทัดอันนี้" (subject) + "มีเครื่องหมาย" (verb phrase) + "เป็นเซนติเมตรอย่างเดียว" (modifier).
  • Structural Analysis: This casual declarative sentence contrasts units for everyday comparison, highlighting "centimetre" in informal chats about tools or daily items.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

  • English: A centimetre is a small unit of measurement.
  • Thai: เซนติเมตรเป็นหน่วยวัดที่เล็ก
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "A centimetre" (subject) + "is" (verb) + "a small unit of measurement" (predicate). In Thai, "เซนติเมตร" (subject) + "เป็น" (verb) + "หน่วยวัดที่เล็ก" (predicate).
  • Structural Analysis: Straightforward subject-verb-predicate structure for stating facts, ideal for educational contexts.

Interrogative Sentence

  • English: Is this object exactly 15 centimetres long?
  • Thai: วัตถุนี้มีความยาว 15 เซนติเมตรอย่างแม่นยำหรือไม่?
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "Is" (auxiliary verb) + "this object" (subject) + "exactly 15 centimetres long" (predicate). In Thai, "วัตถุนี้" (subject) + "มีความยาว 15 เซนติเมตรอย่างแม่นยำ" (predicate) + "หรือไม่" (question particle).
  • Structural Analysis: Inverted structure for questions, using "centimetre" to seek clarification, common in practical or scientific inquiries.

Imperative Sentence

  • English: Measure the length in centimetres for accuracy.
  • Thai: วัดความยาวเป็นเซนติเมตรเพื่อความถูกต้อง
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "Measure" (imperative verb) + "the length" (object) + "in centimetres" (prepositional phrase). In Thai, "วัด" (imperative verb) + "ความยาว" (object) + "เป็นเซนติเมตร" (modifier).
  • Structural Analysis: Command form with direct object, urging precise action, often in instructional scenarios.

Exclamatory Sentence

  • English: That's only 2 centimetres away!
  • Thai: มันอยู่ห่างแค่ 2 เซนติเมตรเท่านั้น!
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "That's" (subject) + "only 2 centimetres away" (predicate). In Thai, "มันอยู่ห่าง" (subject + predicate) + "แค่ 2 เซนติเมตรเท่านั้น" (exclamation modifier).
  • Structural Analysis: Exclamatory structure for emphasis, using "centimetre" to express surprise or urgency in casual conversations.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

  • English: The pencil is 10 centimetres long.
  • Thai: ดินสอมีความยาว 10 เซนติเมตร
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "The pencil" (subject) + "is" (verb) + "10 centimetres long" (predicate). In Thai, "ดินสอ" (subject) + "มีความยาว" (verb) + "10 เซนติเมตร" (predicate).
  • Structural Analysis: Basic subject-verb-object structure, easy for beginners to understand.

Intermediate Sentence

  • English: If the box is more than 30 centimetres wide, it won't fit.
  • Thai: ถ้ากล่องมีความกว้างมากกว่า 30 เซนติเมตร มันจะไม่เข้า
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "If the box is more than 30 centimetres wide" (conditional clause) + "it won't fit" (main clause). In Thai, "ถ้ากล่องมีความกว้างมากกว่า 30 เซนติเมตร" (conditional) + "มันจะไม่เข้า" (main clause).
  • Structural Analysis: Includes a conditional clause for added complexity, suitable for intermediate learners discussing measurements.

Complex Sentence

  • English: Although the instructions were in centimetres, the team converted everything to inches for the American clients.
  • Thai: แม้ว่าคำสั่งจะเป็นหน่วยเซนติเมตร แต่ทีมงานได้แปลงทุกอย่างเป็นนิ้วสำหรับลูกค้าชาวอเมริกัน
  • Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the instructions were in centimetres" (subordinate clause) + "the team converted everything to inches" (main clause) + "for the American clients" (prepositional phrase). In Thai, "แม้ว่าคำสั่งจะเป็นหน่วยเซนติเมตร" (subordinate) + "แต่ทีมงานได้แปลงทุกอย่างเป็นนิ้ว" (main clause) + "สำหรับลูกค้าชาวอเมริกัน" (phrase).
  • Structural Analysis: Multi-clause structure with subordination, demonstrating "centimetre" in a professional, comparative context.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

  • Millimeter – A smaller unit of length (1/10 of a centimetre), used for even more precise measurements, e.g., in jewelry design.
  • Decimeter – A larger unit (10 centimetres), often in contexts like room measurements for quick estimates.

Antonyms:

  • Inch – A unit in the imperial system (approximately 2.54 centimetres), contrasting with metric precision in international trade.
  • Foot – A much larger imperial unit (30.48 centimetres), used for broader measurements like height.

Common Collocations:

  • Centimetre scale – Refers to a measuring tool or system, e.g., in scientific experiments for accurate data collection.
  • Measure in centimetres – A phrase for specifying units, common in educational or DIY contexts to ensure consistency.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

  • Cultural Point 1: In Thailand, the adoption of "เซนติเมตร" reflects the country's shift to the metric system during the reign of King Chulalongkorn in the late 19th century, symbolizing modernization and alignment with global standards. This unit is deeply embedded in Thai education, where it promotes scientific literacy, and in daily life, such as tailoring or cooking, highlighting a culture that values precision and practicality.

Usage Habits:

  • Habit 1: "เซนติเมตร" is frequently used in urban and educational settings among younger generations and professionals, with high popularity in schools and online tutorials. It is less common in rural areas where traditional measurements might persist, but overall, it's a staple for all age groups in formal contexts due to Thailand's metric standardization.

Grammar Explanation

  • Grammatical Function: "Centimetre" functions as a noun, typically as a unit of measurement in a sentence. It can act as a subject, object, or modifier (e.g., in phrases like "10-centimetre ruler"), providing specific details without changing verb forms.
  • Tense and Voice: As a noun, "centimetre" does not inflect for tense. However, it appears in various sentence voices (active or passive) depending on context, e.g., "The length was measured in centimetres" (passive voice). In Thai, it remains invariant, making it straightforward in different tenses.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "centimetre" originates from French, derived from "centime" (hundredth) and "mètre" (meter), introduced during the French Revolution as part of the metric system in the late 18th century. It evolved globally with the International System of Units (SI) in 1960. In Thai, "เซนติเมตร" was borrowed from English and French influences during Thailand's modernization in the 19th century, adapting seamlessly into the language.

Literary References:

  • In H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" (1895), the protagonist notes: "The thing was a mere two centimetres in diameter," illustrating precision in scientific fiction. Source: Wells, H.G. The Time Machine.
  • In contemporary Thai literature, such as in the works of Saneh Sangsuk, measurements like "เซนติเมตร" are used metaphorically in "The Last Elephant" to describe delicate natural details, emphasizing cultural appreciation for exactness. Source: Sangsuk, Saneh. The Last Elephant.