ประจบ
flatter (for personal advantage)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 flatter (for personal advantage)、curry favor with、fawn on
Describes flattering someone or acting especially agreeable in order to gain their favor or some advantage. It usually suggests insincerity or self-interest.
flatter (for personal advantage)、curry favor with、fawn on
To win someone's favor through calculated praise or overly agreeable behavior.
-
ประจบเจ้านาย pracòp câw naay curry favor with the boss ประจบเจ้านาย details
-
เขาชอบประจบพ่อแม่ khǎw chɔ̂ɔp pracòp phɔ̂ɔ mɛ̂ɛ He often tries to butter up his parents. เขาชอบประจบพ่อแม่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
This verb goes beyond simply praising someone. It suggests excessive praise, submissiveness, or calculated friendliness used to win approval or obtain an advantage. The speaker generally views the behavior critically or distrustfully. The common pattern is ประจบ followed directly by the person being flattered. พูดประจบ emphasizes flattering speech. Some dictionaries also record an older or limited sense meaning “meet, join, or converge.” In ordinary modern usage, words such as บรรจบ are more usual for that idea, so it is not treated here as a core learner sense.
Usage
Commonly used when an employee tries to get on a boss's good side, or when someone praises a person in power to obtain special treatment. It can also be used teasingly when someone suddenly becomes unusually complimentary, as in ประจบเหรอ (“Are you trying to butter me up?”).
Caution
Do not use this as a neutral word for sincere praise; ชม is appropriate for that. Calling someone's behavior ประจบ directly accuses them of having an ulterior motive, so it can sound insulting unless the context is clearly playful.
Differences from similar words
1 flatter (for personal advantage) synonyms
-
ชม is the neutral verb “to praise” and may express sincere approval. ประจบ suggests strategic or insincere praise used to gain favor.