เลิก

Explanation

The core idea is ending something that has been continuing and moving away from it. A basic pattern is เลิก followed by a verb, meaning “stop doing.” It can also precede a noun referring to a habit or activity. When work, school, or a meeting is the subject, เลิก can instead mean that the day's work or that particular session is over. For relationships, เลิกกัน means “break up,” while เลิกกับ followed by a person means “break up with someone.” The sense “lift” or “raise” still occurs, but learners should treat it as limited to established combinations such as เลิกคิ้ว, “raise an eyebrow.”

Usage

It is common in everyday conversations about quitting habits such as smoking or drinking, stopping actions such as talking or crying, and asking when work or school ends. It is also used when closing a business, ending a system or practice, or discussing a romantic breakup.

Caution

เลิกงาน normally means “finish work for the day,” not “quit one's job.” Use ลาออกจากงาน for resigning. เลิกเรียน can mean either that class is over or that someone has quit their studies, depending on context. For canceling a reservation, order, flight, or scheduled event, ยกเลิก is normally used rather than เลิก by itself.

1 stop doing synonyms

• ยุติ

  yúttì end

  ยุติ is a more formal word for terminating something and is common with negotiations, conflicts, and proceedings. เลิก is more conversational and broadly used for quitting actions and habits.

• หยุด

  yùt stop

  หยุด focuses on stopping or pausing and may describe only a temporary halt. เลิก more often suggests quitting an activity or habit and not continuing it.

2 finish (for the day) synonyms

• จบ

  còp end

  จบ broadly means reaching the end or completing something, such as a story, movie, or course. เลิก is especially common when a workday, class, or scheduled session ends.

• เสร็จ

  เสร็จ emphasizes completing a task or getting something done. เลิก emphasizes that a work period, class, or other scheduled activity has ended.

3 break up synonyms

• หย่า

  yàa divorce

  หย่า specifically means to divorce legally. เลิก can be used for dating partners or spouses and does not necessarily imply that a legal divorce has been completed.

• แยกทาง

  แยกทาง literally suggests going separate ways and is often used for spouses or long-term partners. เลิก is more everyday and directly expresses a romantic breakup.

4 raise (an eyebrow) synonyms

• ยก

  yók lift

  ยก is the general-purpose verb for lifting or raising things. In this sense, เลิก is restricted mainly to established combinations involving cloth, coverings, clothing, or eyebrows.