แก่
old
Native recording
Analyzing pitch…
Pitch graph is unavailable
- 1 old、aged、growing old
- 2 mature、fully developed
- 3 dark (in color)
- 4 to (a recipient)、for、toward
This word describes something that has advanced in age, maturity, or intensity. In formal contexts, it also marks the person or thing receiving or being affected by an action.
old、aged、growing old
Describes a person or animal that is advanced in age or growing older.
-
คนแก่ khon kɛ̀ɛ an elderly person คนแก่ details
-
หมาตัวนี้แก่แล้ว mǎa tua níi kɛ̀ɛ lɛ́ɛw This dog is old now. หมาตัวนี้แก่แล้ว details
Show more (1)
-
พ่อแก่ขึ้น phɔ̂ɔ kɛ̀ɛ khʉ̂n My father is getting older. พ่อแก่ขึ้น details
mature、fully developed
Describes fruit, seeds, or crops that have developed to maturity, though they may not yet be soft or ready to eat.
-
มะม่วงลูกนี้แก่แล้ว mámûaŋ lûuk níi kɛ̀ɛ lɛ́ɛw This mango is mature now. มะม่วงลูกนี้แก่แล้ว details
-
เลือกผลที่แก่เต็มที่ lʉ̂ak phǒn thîi kɛ̀ɛ tem thîi Choose fully mature fruit. เลือกผลที่แก่เต็มที่ details
dark (in color)
Describes a color, flavor, drink, or other quality as deep, concentrated, or especially strong.
-
สีเขียวแก่ sǐi khǐaw kɛ̀ɛ dark green สีเขียวแก่ details
to (a recipient)、for、toward
Marks the recipient or affected party of an action, especially in formal or written language.
-
มอบรางวัลแก่ผู้ชนะ mɔ̂ɔp raaŋwan kɛ̀ɛ phûu chaná Award a prize to the winner. มอบรางวัลแก่ผู้ชนะ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The adjective แก่ has a shared image of having progressed beyond a young, undeveloped, or mild stage. With people and animals it means old; with fruit or crops it means mature; and with colors, flavors, or drinks it means dark, strong, or concentrated. It can follow a noun, as in คนแก่ and สีแก่, or serve as the predicate, as in แก่แล้ว. The preposition แก่ is a separate grammatical use that introduces a recipient or someone affected by an action.
Usage
It is used in everyday speech when talking about the age of people or animals. In markets, farming, and cooking, it describes the maturity of produce; in discussions of colors, food, and drinks, it describes intensity. Its recipient-marking use is especially common in news reports, official documents, announcements, and ceremonial language.
Caution
Calling a person แก่ directly can sound blunt or insulting; ผู้สูงอายุ is a more respectful term for an older person. Do not use แก่ for an old object such as a car—use เก่า instead. For fruit, แก่ means mature but not necessarily ripe and ready to eat; that meaning is expressed by สุก.
Differences from similar words
1 old synonyms
-
ชรา is a more formal word for being elderly. แก่ is more common in everyday language but can sound blunt when said directly about someone.
2 mature synonyms
-
สุก means ripe and ready to eat. แก่ means fully developed or mature, so the fruit may still not be ripe enough to eat.
3 dark (in color) synonyms
-
จัด emphasizes that a color, flavor, or quality is very intense. แก่ indicates that a particular quality is strongly developed or more concentrated than usual.
4 to (a recipient) synonyms
-
ต่อ commonly marks the person or thing toward which an attitude, action, or relationship is directed. แก่ more specifically highlights a recipient or affected party.
-
แด่ also marks a recipient but is respectful and commonly used in dedications, tributes, and ceremonial giving. แก่ is more neutral and broadly marks recipients or affected parties.