ขึ้น

Explanation

The central image is movement or change in an upward direction. Beyond literal motion, it appears in expressions such as ราคาขึ้น “prices rise,” ดีขึ้น “get better,” and เกิดขึ้น “happen.” Its postposed use is especially important: after a state word or verb, ขึ้น can indicate an increase compared with an earlier state or an upward direction. It also occurs in special evaluative expressions. ถ่ายรูปขึ้น means that the subject looks good in photographs, while ใส่แล้วขึ้น says that clothing looks flattering or makes the wearer look impressive. ฟังขึ้น means that an explanation sounds reasonable or convincing; its negative form, ฟังไม่ขึ้น, is especially common. ขึ้น also forms many fixed expressions with specialized meanings, including ขึ้นทะเบียน “register,” ขึ้นชื่อ “be known for,” and ขึ้นต้น “begin writing.”

Usage

It is used constantly for going upstairs or climbing, boarding buses, trains, and planes, and discussing rises in prices, temperature, weight, or other levels. It is also common when talking about improvement, events or symptoms appearing, and outcomes depending on particular conditions. In evaluations, it describes photogenic or flattering looks and whether reasons or excuses are convincing. Its lunar-calendar use appears in dates for Buddhist observances and traditional events.

Caution

ขึ้นรถ focuses on getting into or onto a vehicle, whereas นั่งรถ often focuses on traveling in it. Also, postposed ขึ้น does not necessarily signal a desirable change: ร้อนขึ้น means “get hotter,” and แพงขึ้น means “become more expensive.” ฟังขึ้น does not mean that a sound is easier to hear; it means that an account is convincing. ถ่ายรูปขึ้น describes a photogenic subject, not a skilled photographer.

1 go up synonyms

• ปีน

  piin climb

  ปีน specifically means climbing with physical effort, often using the hands and feet. ขึ้น is the broader word for upward movement.

• ยก

  yók lift

  ยก means to lift or pick something up. ขึ้น can describe either something going up or being moved upward.

2 get on (a vehicle) synonyms

• นั่ง

  nâŋ take (transportation)

  นั่ง can emphasize traveling by a vehicle, as well as sitting. ขึ้น focuses on the act of getting into or onto it.

3 rise synonyms

• เพิ่ม

  เพิ่ม centers on adding to or increasing an amount. ขึ้น presents the change as movement to a higher level and may be either intransitive or transitive.

4 grow synonyms

• งอก

  ŋɔ̂ɔk grow out

  งอก focuses on sprouting or growing out, as with shoots, teeth, or hair. ขึ้น applies more broadly to plants, symptoms, mold, and other things appearing.

• เกิด

  kə̀ət happen

  เกิด directly means to be born or happen. ขึ้น conveys emergence and commonly combines with it as เกิดขึ้น to clearly mark an occurrence.

5 upward synonyms

• เพิ่มขึ้น

  เพิ่มขึ้น explicitly indicates an increase in amount or scale. Postposed ขึ้น applies more broadly to qualities, states, and actions, as in ดีขึ้น and เร็วขึ้น.

6 look flattering synonyms

• ดูดี

  duu dii look good

  ดูดี generally means to look good. In expressions such as ถ่ายรูปขึ้น or ใส่แล้วขึ้น, ขึ้น indicates that a photo, outfit, or makeup makes someone look especially good.

• สมเหตุสมผล

  สมเหตุสมผล explicitly means logical or reasonable and is somewhat more formal. ฟังขึ้น is an everyday judgment that an explanation sounds plausible or convincing.