ขับ
drive (a vehicle)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 drive (a vehicle)、operate (a vehicle)
- 2 drive away、expel、oust
- 3 discharge、excrete
- 4 sing [formal or literary]、recite melodically
This word describes making something move forward or outward. In everyday use, it most often means driving or operating a vehicle.
drive (a vehicle)、operate (a vehicle)
To control and operate a vehicle so that it moves.
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ขับรถ khàp rót drive a car ขับรถ details
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คุณขับรถเป็นไหม khun khàp rót pen mǎy Do you know how to drive? คุณขับรถเป็นไหม details
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อย่าขับเร็วเกินไป yàa khàp rew kəən pay Don't drive too fast. อย่าขับเร็วเกินไป details
drive away、expel、oust
To force a person or animal to leave a place or group.
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เขาถูกขับออกจากพรรค khǎw thùuk khàp ɔ̀ɔk càak phák He was expelled from the party. เขาถูกขับออกจากพรรค details
discharge、excrete
To cause fluid, waste, or another substance to pass out of the body or a system.
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ขับเหงื่อ khàp ŋʉ̀a induce sweating ขับเหงื่อ details
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ยานี้ช่วยขับปัสสาวะ yaa níi chûay khàp pàtsǎawá This medicine promotes urination. ยานี้ช่วยขับปัสสาวะ details
sing [formal or literary]、recite melodically
To perform a song or verse melodically, especially in formal or literary expressions and fixed compounds.
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ขับร้องเพลง khàp rɔ́ɔŋ phleeŋ perform a song ขับร้องเพลง details
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ขับกล่อมเด็กให้หลับ khàp klɔ̀ɔm dèk hây làp lull a child to sleep with a song ขับกล่อมเด็กให้หลับ details
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ขับเสภา khàp sěephaa recite narrative poetry in a traditional melodic style ขับเสภา details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image of ขับ is applying force or control to make something move forward or outward. This connects its major meanings: operating a vehicle, forcing someone out, and expelling a substance from the body. When ขับ appears by itself in everyday conversation, it will usually be understood as “drive.” ขับรถเป็น means that someone knows how to drive. ขับรถได้ไหม can ask about driving ability, but depending on context it may also mean “Can you drive now?” or “Could you drive?” Outside the driving sense, ขับ often occurs in established combinations such as ขับออก, ขับไล่, ขับถ่าย, and ขับร้อง. Learning these as complete units makes the intended meaning easier to recognize.
Usage
It is most commonly used when discussing driving, commuting, travel, licenses, and road safety. ขับออก and ขับไล่ occur when someone is forced out of a place or organization. Expressions such as ขับถ่าย, ขับเหงื่อ, and ขับปัสสาวะ are common in health information and descriptions of medicine. ขับร้อง is found mainly in music, stage, and ceremonial contexts.
Caution
ขับรถ means “drive a car,” นั่งรถ means “travel in a vehicle as a passenger,” and ขึ้นรถ means “get into or board a vehicle.” Use ขี่จักรยาน for riding a bicycle. ขี่มอเตอร์ไซค์ is common for riding a motorcycle, though ขับมอเตอร์ไซค์ is also used when emphasizing vehicle operation or legal matters. For ordinary “sing,” use ร้องเพลง. Using ขับ alone to mean “sing” will usually sound unnatural.
Differences from similar words
1 drive (a vehicle) synonyms
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ขี่ is used for riding a bicycle, motorcycle, horse, or another straddled vehicle or animal. ขับ is the usual choice for operating a car or similar vehicle.
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บังคับ can mean controlling machinery, but it also commonly means forcing someone to do something. ขับ focuses specifically on making a vehicle move under one's control.
2 drive away synonyms
3 discharge synonyms
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ถ่าย is used conversationally for passing stool or relieving oneself and also has many unrelated meanings, such as transferring or photographing. ขับ emphasizes expelling a substance and is common in health and medical expressions.