เค็ม
salty
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 salty、salted
- 2 stingy、miserly
This word primarily describes food or water that tastes salty or contains salt. In casual speech, it can also describe someone who is very reluctant to spend or give anything.
salty、salted
Describes food with a salty taste or water and other substances that contain salt.
stingy、miserly
Informally and critically describes someone who is extremely unwilling to spend, pay, or give anything away.
-
เขารวยแต่เค็ม khǎw ruay tɛ̀ɛ khem He's rich, but stingy. เขารวยแต่เค็ม details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core meaning is “salty,” describing a taste like salt. It can follow a noun, as in อาหารเค็ม (“salty food”), or function as the predicate, as in แกงนี้เค็ม (“This curry is salty”). In น้ำเค็ม, the word describes salt water or seawater, in contrast with น้ำจืด (“fresh water”). It can therefore refer either to taste or to the presence of salt in water. When applied to a person, เค็ม figuratively means “stingy.” This use is informal and expresses a negative judgment about someone who hates spending, paying, or giving things away.
Usage
It is commonly used when commenting on how salty food tastes, discussing salty foods or dietary salt, and distinguishing salt water from fresh water. In casual conversation, it can also criticize someone for being unwilling to spend or give anything.
Caution
เค็ม refers to saltiness, not the heat caused by chili peppers; use เผ็ด for spicy-hot food. Its “stingy” sense can sound insulting, especially when said directly to the person being described.
Differences from similar words
2 stingy synonyms
-
ขี้ตืด is a strongly critical, informal term for an extremely stingy person. เค็ม is also negative, though it can sometimes be used teasingly among people who know each other well.
-
ขี้เหนียว is a common word for someone unwilling to spend or share. เค็ม is similarly negative but is more colloquial and may also suggest that the person is calculating and determined not to lose out.