What is the Thai word for 'steel'?

[attrayant]

I sometimes get confusing looks when I ask in hardware stores for something made from steel (hooks, brackets, whatever). Or, if I ask about the construction of some metal object, invariably the answer comes back "iron" when I can clearly see that the object is most certainly NOT iron. It could be steel, zinc, chrome, nickle, or galvanized version of any of these.

My Thai translator and Google translate both return the same word for iron and steel: เหล็ก but iron and steel are two very different metals with very different properties and applications, so it's important to know which is which, especially in a humid climate such as we have here.

Can somebody give me the word for steel?

[Tywais]

เหล็กกล้า is specific to steel AFAIK. And ธาตุเหล็ก for iron.

[Spoonman]

I use "Sateel". they understand !!!

[Tywais]

I use "Sateel". they understand !!!

That seems to work for me also. Talked to a friend and if it is stainless just say 'saatanless' and they will understand.

My definition of iron above is not quite accurate as it pertains to the element iron.

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^^,

สแตนเลส

[Spoonman]

I use "Sateel". they understand !!!

That seems to work for me also. Talked to a friend and if it is stainless just say 'saatanless' and they will understand.

My definition of iron above is not quite accurate as it pertains to the element iron.

Also if talking steel sheet the thickness is "min" not millimeter..... 3 min sateel 8 x 4 will get me a 3mm x 2400 x 1200 sheet !!

[ATF]

The reason why you are getting the same response is because the masses haven't got a clue between the difference of any metal. The word "Lek" which really means iron is also used for metal in general by the uneducated masses. Similar to "Nahm" water which is also used as fluid or liquid. The real word for metal is "Lo-Hah". Steel is Sa-Steel, Stainless Sa-Tain-Less as discussed above. Copper is Tong Daeng, Brass Tong Leung, Gold is Tong-Kam, Zinc Sang-Ka-See. 2m x 3m Would be Song Met Coon Sam Met. A hook or bracket would be Dtoo-Wah Kwaen (Hanger) Kwaen Suea coat hanger. Nail Dta-Boo Screw Dta-Boo Gee-ow. Good Luck!

[kriswillems]

Steel is an alloy of iron, with carbon.

A metal is a solid material (an element, compound, or alloy) that is typically hard, opaque, shiny, and features good electrical and thermal conductivity. Copper, gold, brass, aluminium are metals.

All shops in Thailand that sell เหล็ก (lek) sell in reality steel.

Nobody uses pure iron for anything (except for making alloys or in a chemistry lab) and you also can't buy it in Thailand.

โลหะ (loo-hah) is metal.

Edited April 29, 2014 by kriswillems

[Mole]

If you're gonna refer to steel which is used in utensils and cutlery, the term is "stainless" สแตนเลส sa-ten-let.

But usually, if you just say เหล็ก lek it is also understood to be steel, because of course most utensils and cutlery would be made of steel and not iron. So when you ask in a hardware store and just ask if it's "lek" it will be understood to be steel, and not iron, because obviously none of these things are made of pure iron these days.

Unless there happen to be something which does happen to be made by both iron or steel, such as perhaps frying pan, you would have to specifically ask if it's sa-ten-let or lek, to differentiate between a steel pan or a cast iron pan, but the difference of these 2 types of pans should be quite obvious so a question like this would be weird indeed...

Actually in most circumstances it is sufficient to call steel for "lek" because it is pretty obvious which type of "iron" it is made of. So there is really no need to be smart ass and try to call it sa-ten-let as if trying to educate the vendor the difference between steel and iron. I think many vendors may even know more about the exact characteristic of the metals of the wares they're selling than you.

[JesseFrank]

I always say LEK..................sometimes they go get the daughter.

[Johpa]

The reason why you are getting the same response is because the masses haven't got a clue between the difference of any metal. The word "Lek" which really means iron is also used for metal in general by the uneducated masses.

But even members of the educated masses, myself included, use the Thai word lek for the generic English word metal. And I daresay that if pressed upon by need, both myself (college educated) as well as my rice growing neighbors in Thailand (maybe mor 3) can use more specific terms for metals when the rare need arises to, say distinguish stainless steel from generic metal.

[Mole]

I guess the confused looks OP is getting is due to him trying to state the obvious that they're steel and not iron.

In their minds, they're probably wondering where the hell you're gonna get anything made of pure iron these days.

We Thais has a term for this, and it's ฝรั่งกวนตีน

Edited April 29, 2014 by Mole

[melvinerror]

I frequently buy steel (plating and tubes) in BKK

and have stuff machined for me in workshops

I use the following terms:

lek loh for iron/cast iron

lek niao as the generic term for steel (non stainless)

for stainless I use the term stenless (don't hear thais say stanlat) or quite simply I use the term 304

for marine grade stainless I use the term 316

this works very well for me, no problems

[melvinerror]

where I do experience problems kis when I want to

talk about guaranteed sparkproof steel

and when I want to talk about various degrees of austenittic steel

like stainless with certain magnetic properties

have trouble getting my wishes across

[slipperylobster]

I know the dad of my gal had a nickname...

He was one of the more popular monks in udon...at his time. Four temples built by him.

The other Monks called him.. "Lek" which, I was told, means hard as steel. Maybe not a literal translation of the metal.