ทะลัก

Explanation

The central image is of something accumulated or contained crossing a boundary in a large, forceful surge that is difficult to control. Its basic use is with liquids, but it is also commonly extended to crowds, orders, money, information, and similar things. It appears in both everyday speech and news reports about floods, crowds, or economic activity. Direction is shown by words that follow it: ทะลักออก means “gush or pour out,” ทะลักเข้า means “surge in,” and ทะลักเข้ามา means “come flooding in toward the speaker.” The combination ล้นทะลัก emphasizes overflowing in a powerful rush.

Usage

Used when floodwater surges into a building, blood gushes from a wound, or a container’s contents burst out. It is also used for crowds flooding into stations or tourist areas, and for orders, messages, or funds arriving in unusually large numbers.

Caution

Do not normally use ทะลัก for a small or gentle flow; ไหล is more natural in that case. ทะลัก does not always indicate outward movement: with เข้า, it means to surge inward. Check direction words such as เข้า and ออก. When used of people, it may suggest crowding or a movement that is difficult to control.

1 gush out synonyms

• ล้น

  lón overflow

  ล้น focuses on something exceeding a container’s capacity and overflowing. ทะลัก focuses on a forceful surge through an opening or a broken barrier.

• ไหล

  lǎy flow

  ไหล is the neutral verb “to flow,” with no necessary implication of great force or volume. ทะลัก emphasizes a sudden, powerful movement of a large amount.

2 flood in synonyms

• กรู

  kruu rush in a crowd

  กรู mainly describes a group of people rushing together in one direction. ทะลัก has a broader range and can also describe liquids, orders, money, information, and other large flows.

• หลั่งไหล

  หลั่งไหล can describe people or things streaming in, often as a continuing flow. ทะลัก more strongly suggests a sudden, overwhelming surge that is difficult to contain.