ahead
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 ahead、forward、in front of
- 2 in the future、from now on、what lies ahead
Describes a position or movement in front of a reference point and, by extension, what lies ahead in the future.
ahead、forward、in front of
Indicates a position in front of someone or something, or movement toward the space ahead.
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เดินไปข้างหน้าอีกนิด dəən pay khâŋ nâa ìik nít Walk a little farther forward. เดินไปข้างหน้าอีกนิด details
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เขานั่งอยู่ข้างหน้าฉัน khǎw nâŋ yùu khâŋ nâa chǎn He is sitting in front of me. เขานั่งอยู่ข้างหน้าฉัน details
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มองไปข้างหน้า mɔɔŋ pay khâŋ nâa Look ahead. มองไปข้างหน้า details
in the future、from now on、what lies ahead
Refers to the time or events that still lie ahead from the present point.
Learning notes
Explanation
ข้างหน้า combines ข้าง, “side or direction,” with หน้า, “front.” Its core image is the area on the forward side of a reference point. Common patterns include อยู่ข้างหน้า, “be in front,” ไปข้างหน้า, “move forward,” and มองไปข้างหน้า, “look ahead.” A person or place can follow it as the reference point, as in ข้างหน้าฉัน, “in front of me,” and ข้างหน้าบ้าน, “in front of the house.” It also extends naturally to time, presenting future life or events as something that lies ahead. It is common in both conversation and writing.
Usage
Common in directions, descriptions of where people or buildings are located, and instructions about looking or moving forward. It is also used when discussing future developments in life, work, or plans.
Caution
For a specific next period, Thai normally uses หน้า directly, as in อาทิตย์หน้า, “next week.” ข้างหน้า is not used that way; it refers to the space ahead or to the broader future lying ahead.
Differences from similar words
1 ahead synonyms
2 in the future synonyms
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ต่อไป can mean “next,” “after this,” or “from now on,” and often marks sequence or continuation. ข้างหน้า pictures the future as something lying ahead.
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อนาคต is a noun that directly names the future as a period or concept. ข้างหน้า presents the future as what lies ahead and is common when discussing how things may develop.