Standard Lemma guide

Leh

name · particle · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /leɪ/
  • rhymes with -eɪ
  • /lɛ˨/ Senses 3‒6
  • [lɛ(ː)˨]
  • /lɛ˧/ All other senses
  • /le˧/
  • interrogative: [lɛ(ː)˦]
  • CMU ARPABET: L EH1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A city, the co-capital of Ladakh, India.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A district of Ladakh, India.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

name

Meaning 3

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

particle

Meaning 4

Used to convey uncertainty (in response to inconsistent information).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧], (interrogative) high-mid [lɛ˦]
  • No leh, it’s right here.
  • I counted 30 leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

particle

Meaning 5

Used to form “what about ... ?” questions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: interrogative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: (interrogative) high-mid [lɛ˦]
  • Our appointment leh?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

particle

Meaning 6

Used to highlight or relay noteworthy information.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: declarative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: low-mid [lɛ˨]
  • It’s next week leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

particle

Meaning 7

Used to highlight the severity or seriousness of a situation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: declarative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: low-mid [lɛ˨]
  • Many houses were destroyed leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

particle

Meaning 8

Reinforces the truth of a declarative remark.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: declarative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: low-mid [lɛ˨]
  • You all damn noisy leh how to sleep?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

particle

Meaning 9

Indicates a tentative reminder.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: declarative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: low-mid [lɛ˨]
  • Still got risotto in the fridge leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

particle

Meaning 10

Indicates a tentative request.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: imperative

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧]
  • Close the door leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

particle

Meaning 11

Indicates disagreement with an idea or suggestion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧]
  • — We can try taking the train. — I don’t think we’ll have enough time leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

particle

Meaning 12

Used to soften a disagreeing opinion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧]
  • I don’t think that’s accurate leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: what

Antonyms: none provided

13

particle

Meaning 13

Reinforces a tentative opinion and invites agreement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧]
  • In my opinion the crème brûlée was so-so only leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

particle

Meaning 14

Used to suggest that the listener has failed to take something into consideration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Pitch contour: mid [lɛ˧]
  • I don’t have all day leh.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Two main origins: * Borrowed from German Leh, perhaps an altered spelling of Löh. * Borrowed from Khmer.

From Hokkien 咧 (--leh, “declarative particle used for emphasis; interrogative particle used to express doubt”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 列城 (Lièchéng) — town and capital of Ladakh, India
  • Hindi: लेह (leh) — town and capital of Ladakh, India
  • Marathi: लेह (leh) — town and capital of Ladakh, India
  • Tibetan: གླེ (gle) — town and capital of Ladakh, India
  • Tibetan: སླེ (sle) — town and capital of Ladakh, India
  • Urdu: لِہہ (lih) — town and capital of Ladakh, India