the back, the rear
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- 1 the back, the rear
This common expression refers to the side opposite the front, whether as a place, a direction, or the rear part of something.
the back, the rear
It indicates the back or rear side of a person or thing and can describe a location, direction, or rear part depending on its position in the phrase.
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มีสวนอยู่ข้างหลังบ้าน mii sǔan yùu khâŋ lǎŋ bâan There is a garden behind the house. มีสวนอยู่ข้างหลังบ้าน details
Learning notes
Explanation
ข้างหลัง combines ข้าง (“side” or “direction”) with หลัง (“back”), giving it the basic image of the side facing away from the front. Used by itself, it can locate an action in the back or indicate movement toward the back. When followed by a reference noun, as in ข้างหลังบ้าน, it means “behind the house.” After a noun, as in ประตูข้างหลัง, it identifies something located at the rear, such as “the back door.” Its grammatical role varies with sentence position, but its core spatial meaning remains the same.
Usage
It is widely used in everyday situations to describe where someone is standing or sitting, give directions, distinguish the back of a building from the front, or refer to the rear part of a vehicle or object.
Caution
ข้างหลัง normally describes physical space. For “later,” use ทีหลัง; ภายหลัง is used for the more formal sense of “afterward” or “subsequently.” Do not confuse ข้างหลัง with ตรงข้าม, which means “opposite” or “across from.”
Differences from similar words
1 the back, the rear synonyms
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หลัง can mean “back,” “behind,” or “after,” depending on context. ข้างหลัง more clearly identifies a position on the rear side of something.