ใคร่
desire
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 desire、wish for、want to[formal]
- 2 feel sexual desire、lust after
ใคร่ means to strongly desire or wish for something, but it sounds formal or literary in ordinary “want to” uses. It also appears in contexts about sexual desire, especially in the noun ความใคร่.
desire、wish for、want to[formal]
This sense means to desire or wish to do something in a formal, polished way. It is much less casual than อยาก and is common in written notices, speeches, and formal requests.
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ใคร่รู้ khrây rúu to wish to know; to be eager to know ใคร่รู้ details
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ข้าพเจ้าใคร่ขอขอบคุณทุกท่าน khâaphácâw khrây khɔ̌ɔ khɔ̀ɔpkhun thúk thân I would like to express my thanks to everyone. ข้าพเจ้าใคร่ขอขอบคุณทุกท่าน details
feel sexual desire、lust after
This sense refers to sexual desire. It is especially common in the noun ความใคร่, meaning lust or sexual desire, rather than as a casual verb in everyday speech.
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ความใคร่ khwaam khrây lust; sexual desire ความใคร่ details
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เขาถูกความใคร่ครอบงำ khǎw thùuk khwaam khrây khrɔ̂ɔpŋam He was overcome by lust. เขาถูกความใคร่ครอบงำ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of ใคร่ is a strong pull of the mind toward something. For ordinary “want to” in conversation, อยาก is the natural choice; ใคร่ is better learned as a formal or literary word. In phrases such as ใคร่ขอ, ใคร่เรียน, and ใคร่แจ้ง, it appears in business letters, official notices, and speeches as a polite “wish to.” The noun ความใคร่ means lust or sexual desire, which is different from รัก “love” or ชอบ “like.”
Usage
You will mainly see ใคร่ in formal writing, official notices, speeches, polite requests, and literary prose. ความใคร่ appears in discussions of desire, psychology, morality, or religion.
Caution
Do not use ใคร่ for ordinary casual wants like “I want to eat” or “I want to go”; it will sound too stiff. Also, ความใคร่ has a strong sexual meaning, so it should not be used when you simply mean love or affection.
Differences from similar words
1 desire synonyms
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ต้องการ is a practical word for needing or wanting something and works in both speech and writing. ใคร่ is more elevated, closer to “wish to” in formal wording.
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ปรารถนา expresses a wish or aspiration and often fits more abstract desires. ใคร่ commonly connects to an action in formal set phrases meaning “wish to do.”
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อยาก is the normal everyday word for “want to.” ใคร่ sounds formal or literary, so it can feel unnatural in casual conversation.