ชีวิต ดีๆ ที่ ลงตัว A large banner hung on the skytrain structure last month seemed, to my limited Thai understanding, to be extolling the virtues of Bangkok--where life is very good, divisibly; without a remainder. My question is about this last phrase, or is it an idiomatic expression, ลงตัว "long dtua". The website thai2english.com was not as helpful as I'd hoped, only translating "long dtua" as "divisibly; without a remainder" There were no examples of usage given. I don't really understand how this applies in the context of the banner about the good life in Bangkok. Can anyone explain "long dtua", maybe give some examples of usage, as it seems like a possibly useful, easily pronounced, expression. Thanks

ชีวิต ดีๆ ที่ ลงตัว A large banner hung on the skytrain structure last month seemed, to my limited Thai understanding, to be extolling the virtues of Bangkok--where life is very good, divisibly; without a remainder. My question is about this last phrase, or is it an idiomatic expression, ลงตัว "long dtua". The website thai2english.com was not as helpful as I'd hoped, only translating "long dtua" as "divisibly; without a remainder" There were no examples of usage given. I don't really understand how this applies in the context of the banner about the good life in Bangkok. Can anyone explain "long dtua", maybe give some examples of usage, as it seems like a possibly useful, easily pronounced, expression. Thanks

in this case, it means something like 'where everything fits into place'

I am struggling to think how you would use this in everyday language, because it isn't really commonly used AFAIK in this sort of context. I would be more used in design or marketing, where someone might show a plan of a building site or a house or layout and say, pan nee long dtua or maybe office mai long dtua (it doesn't have everything laid out or fitting into place, e.g. too small, too big, no toilet).

Tough one.... beyond my Thai skills!

i think it could be used to mean "fitting", "perfect" or "a success"

either in a design sense such as steve mentions, or in other contexts eg.

"chiwit yung mai long dtua" - (my) life is not yet where i want it to be

"turakit phung long dtua" - the business has just started to be a success/work

in this case, it means something like 'where everything fits into place'

i think it could be used to mean "fitting", "perfect"

I agree, I think that's the meaning too.

If you take a different example sentence of ลงตัว, say ปีอธิกสุรทินคือปีที่หารด้วย 4 ลงตัว then maybe it's easier to understand. I would say you could translate that into English as "A leap year is a year that can be divided by 4 without a remainder" or " A leap year is a year that can be divided exactly by 4", or " A leap year is a year that can be divided perfectly by 4 ". Perhaps saying "perfectly" is a bit of a strech of a translation, but you can see the general meaning of ลงตัว is along the lines of "fits just right".

If you take that defintion back to ชีวิตที่ลงตัว then I'd say it means "A perfect place for life" or "Exactly right for your life".

The thai2english definition could be better and clearer though, I will update it

Thanks a lot guys, it's starting to make sense to me now.