ตอบ
answer
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 answer、reply、respond、solve (a question or problem)、respond to
- 2 sunken (cheeks)、gaunt (face)、hollow-cheeked
ตอบ mainly means to answer, reply, or respond to something that comes from someone else, such as a question, message, or request. It can also describe cheeks that look sunken or hollow.
answer、reply、respond、solve (a question or problem)、respond to
Used when giving an answer, reply, or response to a question, message, call, test item, or request.
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ตอบคำถาม tɔ̀ɔp kham thǎam answer a question ตอบคำถาม details
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เขาตอบว่าไม่รู้ khǎw tɔ̀ɔp wâa mây rúu He answered that he didn’t know. เขาตอบว่าไม่รู้ details
Show more (2)
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ทำไมไม่ตอบข้อความ? thammay mây tɔ̀ɔp khɔ̂ɔ khwaam Why aren’t you replying to my message? ทำไมไม่ตอบข้อความ? details
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นักเรียนตอบไม่ได้ nák rian tɔ̀ɔp mây dâay The student couldn’t answer. นักเรียนตอบไม่ได้ details
sunken (cheeks)、gaunt (face)、hollow-cheeked
Describes cheeks, or sometimes a face, that look sunken, hollow, or gaunt.
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แก้มตอบ kɛ̂ɛm tɔ̀ɔp sunken cheeks แก้มตอบ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of ตอบ is giving something back in response to what came first. With questions it means “answer,” with messages it means “reply,” and with test questions it can mean “solve” or “answer.” To report the content of an answer, use ตอบว่า... “answer that...” It also appears in many common compounds, such as คำตอบ “answer,” ตอบกลับ “reply back,” ตอบรับ “accept/respond positively,” ตอบสนอง “respond/react,” and ตอบแทน “repay or return a favor.” A separate adjective use appears in แก้มตอบ, meaning “sunken cheeks.”
Usage
This word is common in conversation, school, work, messaging, and email. Use it for answering questions, replying to chats, responding to surveys, or giving answers on a test.
Caution
Do not use ตอบ for returning a physical object; use คืน, as in คืนหนังสือ “return a book.” For answering the phone, รับโทรศัพท์ is usually the most natural expression.
Differences from similar words
1 answer synonyms
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ตอบกลับ specifically means to reply back, especially to a message or previous contact. ตอบ is broader and can mean answer a question, solve a test item, or reply to a message.
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รับโทรศัพท์ is the usual expression for answering the phone. ตอบโทรศัพท์ can be understood, but รับโทรศัพท์ sounds more natural in everyday speech.
2 sunken (cheeks) synonyms
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ซูบ describes looking thin, drawn, or worn down, often from illness or fatigue. ตอบ, especially in แก้มตอบ, focuses on cheeks being hollow or sunken.