ลัก
steal
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 steal、pilfer
ลัก mainly means to steal something secretly and without permission. Its core idea is doing something hidden and unauthorized, which also appears in compounds about smuggling, sneaking, and kidnapping.
steal、pilfer
This is the basic meaning: to secretly take something that belongs to someone else.
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ลักของ lák khɔ̌ɔŋ steal things ลักของ details
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เขาลักเงินจากกระเป๋า khǎw lák ŋən càak krapǎw He stole money from the bag. เขาลักเงินจากกระเป๋า details
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ห้ามลักทรัพย์ hâam lák sáp Do not commit theft. ห้ามลักทรัพย์ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of ลัก is doing something secretly and without permission. By itself, it usually means “to steal,” as in ลักเงิน “steal money” or ลักของ “steal things.” It also appears in important compounds such as ลักลอบ “do secretly or illegally,” ลักพาตัว “kidnap,” and ลักทรัพย์ “commit theft,” many of which are common in news, legal, and official contexts.
Usage
It is common in contexts involving theft, crime, police reports, news, warnings, and legal matters. It can be used in everyday speech for “steal,” though ขโมย is often the more common casual choice.
Caution
Using ลัก directly about someone can sound like a serious accusation of theft. For the broader meaning “do secretly,” it is safer to learn common compounds such as ลักลอบ and ลักพาตัว rather than attaching ลัก freely to any verb.
Differences from similar words
1 steal synonyms
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ขโมย is the common everyday word for “steal.” ลัก also means “steal,” but it can sound more formal or more clearly criminal, with a stronger sense of secretly taking something.