ร้าย
evil
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 evil、cruel、malicious
- 2 bad (news, dreams, etc.)、ominous、unlucky
- 3 dangerous、severe、fierce、highly harmful
Describes someone or something as evil, harmful, ominous, or dangerously severe. It usually suggests malice, suffering, danger, or a seriously bad outcome rather than merely poor quality.
evil、cruel、malicious
Describes a person, character, or behavior as malicious, cruel, or morally bad.
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อย่าใจร้ายกับเด็ก yàa cayráay kàp dèk Don't be mean to the child. อย่าใจร้ายกับเด็ก details
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เขาร้ายกว่าที่คิด khǎw ráay kwàa thîi khít He's more dangerous and cunning than I thought. เขาร้ายกว่าที่คิด details
bad (news, dreams, etc.)、ominous、unlucky
Describes news, dreams, luck, and similar things as unfavorable, distressing, or connected with misfortune.
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มีข่าวร้ายมาบอก mii khàaw ráay maa bɔ̀ɔk I have some bad news. มีข่าวร้ายมาบอก details
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เมื่อคืนฉันฝันร้าย mʉ̂a khʉʉn chǎn fǎn ráay I had a nightmare last night. เมื่อคืนฉันฝันร้าย details
dangerous、severe、fierce、highly harmful
Describes a disease, poison, threat, or other harmful force as fierce, dangerous, or severe.
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เขาป่วยเป็นโรคร้าย khǎw pùay pen rôok ráay He is suffering from a serious disease. เขาป่วยเป็นโรคร้าย details
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งูชนิดนี้มีพิษร้าย ŋuu chanít níi mii phít ráay This species of snake has highly potent venom. งูชนิดนี้มีพิษร้าย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of ร้าย is that someone or something brings malice, harm, misfortune, or danger. It is narrower and often stronger than a general word meaning “bad”; it usually does not refer merely to low quality. As a Thai descriptive word, it can serve directly as the predicate without เป็น, as in เขาร้าย. When it modifies a noun, it normally follows it: ข่าวร้าย “bad news” and โรคร้าย “a serious or deadly disease.” ร้าย is especially common in fixed compounds. For practical use, learners should remember expressions such as ใจร้าย, โชคร้าย, ฝันร้าย, and ร้ายแรง as complete units. In conversation, calling someone ร้าย can also mean that the person is dangerous, cunning, or not to be underestimated. Depending on context, this may express wary admiration as well as criticism.
Usage
Commonly used when describing cruel or malicious behavior, criminals, and villains. It also appears in everyday expressions for bad news, nightmares, bad luck, serious illnesses, potent poison, and other things associated with suffering or danger.
Caution
Do not use ร้าย for every instance of “bad.” Poor quality, bad taste, or poor grades are normally described with ไม่ดี. ร้าย suggests malice, harm, misfortune, or serious danger. Also note that คนร้าย usually means a criminal or perpetrator, especially in police and news contexts; it does not simply mean a person with an unpleasant personality.
Differences from similar words
1 evil synonyms
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เลว broadly judges a person, action, or quality as bad or morally inferior. ร้าย more strongly suggests cruelty, malice, or the ability to cause harm.
2 bad (news, dreams, etc.) synonyms
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ไม่ดี is a broad, relatively neutral way to say that something is not good. ร้าย is stronger and often implies misfortune, distress, danger, or a seriously bad outcome.
3 dangerous synonyms
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รุนแรง broadly describes great intensity, force, or violence. ร้าย focuses more on the frightening or harmful nature of something than on intensity alone.