กาก
residue
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 residue、dregs、waste
- 2 terrible、incompetent、poor-quality、useless
- 3 good-for-nothing、useless person、loser
At its core, กาก refers to residue or waste left after the useful part has been removed. In slang, it can also harshly describe someone or something as very poor, useless, or incompetent.
residue、dregs、waste
Residue or waste that remains after the useful part of food, drink, or another material has been removed.
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กากกาแฟ kàak kaafɛɛ coffee grounds กากกาแฟ details
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กรองเอากากออก krɔɔŋ aw kàak ɔ̀ɔk Strain out the residue. กรองเอากากออก details
terrible、incompetent、poor-quality、useless
A harsh slang term for describing poor ability, weak performance, or very low quality.
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เล่นกากมาก lên kàak mâak They play terribly. เล่นกากมาก details
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เน็ตกาก nét kàak a terrible internet connection เน็ตกาก details
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เกมนี้กากมาก keem níi kàak mâak This game is really awful. เกมนี้กากมาก details
good-for-nothing、useless person、loser
A strongly insulting label for a person regarded as useless, incompetent, or worthless.
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ไอ้กาก ây kàak You useless loser. ไอ้กาก details
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อย่าว่าคนอื่นว่ากาก yàa wâa khon ʉ̀ʉn wâa kàak Don't call other people losers. อย่าว่าคนอื่นว่ากาก details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core image of กาก is material left behind after the useful or desirable part has been removed. It commonly appears after the name of a source material, as in กากกาแฟ “coffee grounds” and กากอ้อย “sugarcane residue.” From the idea of worthless leftovers, the word developed a slang use for criticizing poor skill or low quality. For example, เล่นกาก means to play badly, while เน็ตกาก describes a terrible internet connection. The literal residue sense is neutral. The slang senses, especially when directed at a person, are insulting.
Usage
In its neutral sense, กาก is common in cooking, drink preparation, food processing, agriculture, and waste sorting. As slang, it appears in casual conversation, online gaming, sports, and social media when someone harshly criticizes a player's skill or the quality of a product or service.
Caution
Calling someone กาก—especially ไอ้กาก—is highly disrespectful. Avoid it at work, in customer-facing situations, or with anyone requiring polite language. Safer alternatives include ยังไม่เก่ง “not very skilled yet” and คุณภาพไม่ค่อยดี “the quality isn't very good.” กาก is also not the general word for all trash; use ขยะ for ordinary garbage.
Differences from similar words
1 residue synonyms
2 terrible synonyms
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ห่วย is also an informal way to call something lousy or poor. กาก carries the image of worthless residue and can sound more contemptuous, especially when criticizing ability or usefulness.
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แย่ is the ordinary, broadly usable word for bad or poor. กาก is slangier, more aggressive, and unsuitable for polite situations.