จีบ
pursue (someone romantically)
Native recording
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- 1 pursue (someone romantically)、hit on (someone)、court (someone)
- 2 pleat、gather into folds、pucker、bring the fingertips together
- 3 pleat、fold
- 4 shumai-style steamed dumpling
จีบ commonly means to pursue someone romantically or to pinch and fold material into pleats. As a noun, it can also refer to a pleat or, in a clear food context, a shumai-like steamed dumpling.
pursue (someone romantically)、hit on (someone)、court (someone)
To show romantic interest and actively try to begin a relationship with someone.
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เขากำลังจีบเธออยู่ khǎw kamlaŋ cìip thəə yùu He is trying to win her over. เขากำลังจีบเธออยู่ details
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มีคนมาจีบไหม mii khon maa cìip mǎy Is anyone hitting on you? มีคนมาจีบไหม details
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ไม่ได้จีบ แค่คุยเฉย ๆ mây dâay cìip khɛ̂ɛ khuy chə̌əy chə̌əy I'm not hitting on them; we're just talking. ไม่ได้จีบ แค่คุยเฉย ๆ details
pleat、gather into folds、pucker、bring the fingertips together
To bring parts of fabric, paper, the lips, or the fingers together to form a pleat, fold, or pinched shape.
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จีบผ้า cìip phâa Pleat the fabric. จีบผ้า details
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จีบปาก cìip pàak Pucker one's lips. จีบปาก details
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ฝึกรำจีบคว่ำจีบหงาย fʉ̀k ram cìip khwâm cìip ŋǎay Practice the Thai dance movement of turning the hands palm down and palm up. ฝึกรำจีบคว่ำจีบหงาย details
pleat、fold
A narrow fold or ridge formed by gathering or folding material.
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กระโปรงมีหลายจีบ kraprooŋ mii lǎay cìip The skirt has several pleats. กระโปรงมีหลายจีบ details
shumai-style steamed dumpling
In a food context, a small steamed dumpling with a thin wrapper gathered around the filling, normally called ขนมจีบ.
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ขนมจีบหมู khanǒm cìip mǔu Pork shumai. ขนมจีบหมู details
Learning notes
Explanation
In everyday Thai, จีบ is especially common for romantic pursuit. It describes doing something to win a person's interest—such as talking to them, messaging them, flirting, or asking them out—not simply having feelings for them. Its shape-related uses share the image of bringing material or body parts together into a pinched or gathered form. It can describe pleating fabric, puckering the lips, or forming the traditional finger position used in Thai dance. The food is normally called ขนมจีบ. It is a Chinese-style steamed dumpling whose wrapper is gathered into folds around the filling, broadly comparable to shumai.
Usage
The romantic sense is common in conversations with friends, social media, and dramas when discussing someone who is actively showing interest in a potential partner. The shape-related sense appears in sewing, clothing, drapery, decoration, and descriptions of Thai dance. The food sense is heard when ordering ขนมจีบ at street stalls, restaurants, or dim sum shops.
Caution
In the romantic sense, จีบ does not simply mean “to like.” Use ชอบ for having feelings for someone and คบกัน for being in a relationship. When referring to the dumpling without an obvious food context, say ขนมจีบ rather than จีบ alone.
Differences from similar words
1 pursue (someone romantically) synonyms
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เกี้ยว also means “to court or woo,” but it can sound old-fashioned or literary in modern speech. จีบ is the ordinary everyday choice when talking about romantic pursuit.
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แซว means to tease or make playful remarks. จีบ specifically suggests showing interest with a romantic goal.
2 pleat synonyms
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พับ is the general verb for folding something. จีบ focuses on making pleats or a gathered, pinched shape.