โอบกอด

Explanation

โอบกอด combines โอบ, “to encircle or enfold,” with กอด, “to hug.” It evokes wrapping someone in both arms and often carries feelings of affection, comfort, reassurance, or protection. The basic pattern is โอบกอด followed by the person being embraced. โอบกอดกัน means “embrace each other,” while โอบกอด…ไว้แน่น emphasizes holding someone tightly. With an abstract object such as feelings, differences, or oneself, it figuratively means to welcome and accept that thing with warmth. This use is common in encouraging language and discussions of self-acceptance or diversity.

Usage

It is used when someone embraces a child, partner, friend, or family member with affection or comfort. It also appears in speeches, advertising, lyrics, and encouraging writing about accepting differences, emotions, or oneself.

Caution

For an ordinary everyday “hug,” กอด is usually simpler and more common. โอบกอด is more expressive and may sound somewhat elevated in certain contexts. Unlike English “embrace,” it is not normally used for practical adoption, as in “adopt a new technology.”

1 embrace synonyms

• กอด

  kɔ̀ɔt hug

  กอด is the ordinary everyday verb for “hug.” โอบกอด more strongly suggests wrapping someone in one’s arms and often sounds warmer or more expressive.

• สวมกอด

  สวมกอด also means to embrace and clearly describes the act of putting one’s arms around someone. โอบกอด places more emphasis on enfolding the person and may sound warmer or more evocative.