ก่อ
cause
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 cause、bring about、give rise to
- 2 start (an incident or disturbance)、commit (a crime or harmful act)
- 3 lay (bricks)、build (a wall or masonry structure)
This verb describes building something up from materials or causing a result, incident, or harmful act to come about. It commonly occurs in set combinations with a following object.
cause、bring about、give rise to
Describes causing a problem, effect, feeling, or other result to arise.
Show more (1)
-
หยุดก่อหนี้เสียที yùt kɔ̀ɔ nîi sǐa thii Stop getting into debt already. หยุดก่อหนี้เสียที details
start (an incident or disturbance)、commit (a crime or harmful act)
Describes initiating or committing an incident, disturbance, crime, or other socially harmful act.
-
เขาคือผู้ต้องสงสัยในการก่อเหตุเมื่อคืนนี้ khǎw khʉʉ phûu tɔ̂ŋ sǒŋsǎy nay kaan kɔ̀ɔ hèet mʉ̂a khʉʉn níi He is suspected of being behind last night's incident. เขาคือผู้ต้องสงสัยในการก่อเหตุเมื่อคืนนี้ details
lay (bricks)、build (a wall or masonry structure)
Describes laying and stacking materials such as bricks or stone to form a wall or structure.
-
คนงานกำลังก่อกำแพง khon ŋaan kamlaŋ kɔ̀ɔ kamphɛɛŋ The workers are building a wall. คนงานกำลังก่อกำแพง details
-
บ้านหลังนี้ก่อด้วยอิฐ bâan lǎŋ níi kɔ̀ɔ dûay ìt This house is built of brick. บ้านหลังนี้ก่อด้วยอิฐ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image of ก่อ is building something up from smaller elements. In construction, it appears in combinations such as ก่ออิฐ “lay bricks” and ก่อกำแพง “build a wall.” This image extends to causing a problem, effect, feeling, or other result. The pattern ก่อให้เกิด + result is especially important and means “to cause” or “to give rise to.” ก่อ also frequently combines with words for harmful acts, as in ก่อเหตุ “cause an incident” and ก่ออาชญากรรม “commit a crime.” It is most useful to learn ก่อ as part of these common combinations rather than as an isolated verb.
Usage
It is used in construction when describing bricklaying or building masonry walls. It also appears in explanations, reports, and news stories when something causes a problem or effect. Combinations such as ก่อเหตุ, ก่ออาชญากรรม, and ก่อความวุ่นวาย are especially common in crime and incident reporting.
Caution
ก่อ is not a general replacement for “make.” ทำ is normally used for making ordinary things, while สร้าง or ก่อสร้าง is often more natural for constructing an entire building. In its abstract sense, ก่อ often occurs with negative results, but it can also describe beneficial results.
Differences from similar words
1 cause synonyms
2 start (an incident or disturbance) synonyms
-
ก่อเรื่อง is a relatively conversational expression for making trouble. ก่อ also appears in formal and journalistic combinations such as ก่อเหตุ and ก่ออาชญากรรม.
3 lay (bricks) synonyms
-
สร้าง is the general verb for creating or building buildings, works, organizations, and relationships. In construction, ก่อ focuses more specifically on laying bricks or stone to form a wall or similar structure.