criminal charge
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- 1 criminal charge、alleged offense
A noun for the specific offense or wrongdoing someone is accused of. It most often means a criminal charge, but it can also refer figuratively to an accusation in everyday conversation.
criminal charge、alleged offense
The specific criminal offense that a person is formally accused of committing.
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ถูกตั้งข้อหา thùuk tâŋ khɔ̂ɔ hǎa be charged with an offense ถูกตั้งข้อหา details
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เขาปฏิเสธทุกข้อหา khǎw pàtìsèet thúk khɔ̂ɔ hǎa He denied all the charges. เขาปฏิเสธทุกข้อหา details
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ข้อหาฆาตกรรม khɔ̂ɔ hǎa khâattakam a murder charge ข้อหาฆาตกรรม details
Learning notes
Explanation
ข้อหา combines ข้อ, “item,” with หา in its accusatory sense. Its basic image is a particular item of wrongdoing for which someone is being held responsible. Its primary use is legal. Common patterns include ตั้งข้อหา or แจ้งข้อหา, “bring or notify someone of a charge”; ถูกตั้งข้อหา, “be charged”; and ปฏิเสธข้อหา, “deny a charge.” The offense normally follows the word, as in ข้อหาลักทรัพย์, “a theft charge.” Charges are commonly counted with ข้อหา itself, as in สองข้อหา, “two charges.” The classifier กระทง may also appear in more formal legal usage. In everyday speech, patterns such as โดนข้อหาว่า… can figuratively mean “be accused of…,” even when no crime is involved.
Usage
This word is common in police statements, crime reports, investigations, arrests, prosecutions, and court proceedings. It is also used in ordinary conversation when discussing what someone has been charged with. Among friends or family, it may be used figuratively to portray a minor accusation as if it were a criminal charge.
Caution
ถูกตั้งข้อหา does not mean that the person has been found guilty; it means that a charge has been formally brought against them. Also, ข้อหา is a noun. Use the verb กล่าวหา for the act of accusing someone. Do not use ข้อหา for an ordinary “reason” or “problem”; those are เหตุผล and ปัญหา, respectively.