แกง
Thai curry
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 Thai curry、Thai soup or stew
- 2 make a Thai curry or soup
- 3 trick、prank、embarrass
This word broadly refers to Thai dishes in which ingredients are cooked in a seasoned liquid. It can also mean to prepare such a dish and, in slang, to trick, prank, or embarrass someone.
Thai curry、Thai soup or stew
A broad category of Thai dishes made by cooking meat, fish, or vegetables in a seasoned liquid, with or without coconut milk.
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แกงนี้เผ็ดมาก kɛɛŋ níi phèt mâak This curry is very spicy. แกงนี้เผ็ดมาก details
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ฉันชอบกินแกงเขียวหวาน chǎn chɔ̂ɔp kin kɛɛŋ khǐaw wǎan I like eating green curry. ฉันชอบกินแกงเขียวหวาน details
make a Thai curry or soup
To cook ingredients in a seasoned liquid and make a dish classified as แกง.
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วันนี้แม่จะแกงไก่ wan níi mɛ̂ɛ cà kɛɛŋ kày Today Mom will make a chicken curry. วันนี้แม่จะแกงไก่ details
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เอาปลามาแกง aw plaa maa kɛɛŋ Use the fish to make a curry. เอาปลามาแกง details
trick、prank、embarrass
A slang verb for tricking or pranking someone, or putting someone in an embarrassing or unflattering situation.
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ฉันโดนเพื่อนแกง chǎn doon phʉ̂an kɛɛŋ My friend tricked me. ฉันโดนเพื่อนแกง details
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โดนแกงอีกแล้ว doon kɛɛŋ ìik lɛ́ɛw I got tricked again. โดนแกงอีกแล้ว details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central meaning of แกง is a Thai dish whose ingredients are cooked in a seasoned liquid. It forms many dish names by combining with words describing the color, flavor, or ingredients, as in แกงเขียวหวาน and แกงส้ม. Although it is often translated as “curry,” its range is broader than the English word suggests. A แกง does not have to contain coconut milk or be spicy; some varieties are closer to soup. There is no single counter used for every serving. The counter generally follows the container, such as ถ้วย for a cup or small bowl, ชาม for a bowl, ถุง for a bag, and หม้อ for a pot. อย่าง can count varieties, as in แกงสองอย่าง, “two kinds of curry.” As a verb, it means to make this type of dish. In modern conversation and on social media, it is also slang for tricking, pranking, or embarrassing someone.
Usage
As a noun, แกง is extremely common when discussing home cooking or ordering food at markets, casual eateries, and restaurants. The cooking verb is used when discussing what dish to make or how to use an ingredient. The slang sense appears mainly among friends and on social media when talking about jokes, pranks, misleading claims, setups, or unflattering portrayals of someone.
Caution
Do not assume that every แกง resembles a thick Western-style curry. At the same time, not every Thai soup is a แกง; dishes such as ต้มยำ belong to a differently named category. The slang sense is informal and is unsuitable for formal writing or official situations. Depending on the harm involved, it may sound like a serious accusation rather than playful teasing.
Differences from similar words
1 Thai curry synonyms
3 trick synonyms
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หลอก is the general verb for deceiving someone and can describe serious dishonesty. Slang แกง often suggests being playfully tricked or set up, though it can also criticize genuinely harmful treatment.
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แกล้ง means to tease, bother, or deliberately give someone a hard time. แกง more often involves a setup, misleading information, or making someone look foolish in public.