Can anyone help me to distinguish between the following:

 

a. sweets/desserts

b. snacks 

c. candy

 

I am wondering what the following covers:

 

1.  KHANOM (ขนม)

2.  KHANOM WAN (ขนมหวาน)

 

Do both of these words cover all of a, b and c?  I guess KHANOM WAN would cover sweet snacks.  What would savoury snacks (potato chips, etc.) be called?

 

Thank you for your help.

 

 

 

C   is look om   candy 

b   is khanom   snack chips 

a   is khanom   wan is sweet snacks 

should be in Thai language forum

I think the concept with ขนม is that they do not meet the Thai concept of a meal. They are, in effect, a snack.

 

My observation is that they more often than not apply to sweetened snacks but not exclusively so.

 

My experience, not altogether reliable and certainly not comprehensive, is that ขนมหวาน is used to describe the i) specific customary Thai desserts and ii) also to cover all sweet snacks and desserts, with the หวาน for emphasis or distinction from other non-หวาน snacks.

 

There is the other phrase for snack, อาหารว่าง, though to be honest I have rarely heard it used and suspect it exists only as a translation of the English concept, 'snack'.

 

'Candy' means different things to different people. ลูกอม is correct but only really refers to small often hard sweets or toffees. For things like Snickers bars, ช็อกโคแลต is usually used.

From the RID:

 

ของกินที่ไม่ใช่กับข้าว มักปรุงด้วยแป้งหรือข้าว
กับกะทิหรือนํ้าตาล, ของหวาน, ทางเหนือเรียกว่า ข้าวหนม.

 

Foodstuff that isn't "KAP KHAO*".  Often made from flour or rice

with coconut milk or sugar.  Sweet thing.  In the north it's called "KHAO NOM".

 

* KAP KHAO doesn't only cover its literal meaning (foodstuff eaten with rice), but also covers snacks eaten with alcohol.

 

And from Wikipedia's KHANOM page:

 

ขนมขบเคี้ยว หรือ สแน็ก

 

So KHANOM KHAPKHIAO is an alternative term for "snack".  KHAPKHIAO means "crunchy".

 

 

Oxx, Thank you for your contribution.

 

Just one small note. Have you confused กับข้าว with กับแกล้ม, the latter being snacks eaten with alcohol?

10 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Just one small note. Have you confused กับข้าว with กับแกล้ม, the latter being snacks eaten with alcohol?

 

You're quite right.  I didn't spot that กับแกล้ม was a sub-entry under กับข้าว.  Thanks.

So sorry for my late reply.  I did not realise that replies had been received.  I am having trouble with the forum, since it revised its format.  No mails came into my mail box.

 

Thank you so much for all the information.  Much appreciated.

Also, I thought that I had posted in the Language forum.  My mistake.  Sorry.