ก้ม
bend down
Native recording
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- 1 bend down、stoop、look down、bow
ก้ม means to lower the head, face, or upper body. Depending on context, it can mean to bend down, look down, stoop, or bow.
bend down、stoop、look down、bow
This describes lowering the head, face, back, or upper body. It is used both for bending down physically and for bowing the head in respect, apology, or greeting.
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ก้มลงเก็บของ kôm loŋ kèp khɔ̌ɔŋ bend down to pick something up ก้มลงเก็บของ details
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เขาก้มหน้าเพราะอาย khǎw kôm nâa phrɔ́ aay He looked down because he was embarrassed. เขาก้มหน้าเพราะอาย details
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ก้มหัวให้ผู้ใหญ่ kôm hǔa hây phûu yày bow one’s head to an elder ก้มหัวให้ผู้ใหญ่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of ก้ม is lowering the head, face, or upper body. With ลง, as in ก้มลง, the downward movement is made explicit. ก้มหน้า means to lower the face or look down, and it is common for looking at a phone or reacting with embarrassment. ก้มหัว means to bow one’s head, but depending on context it can also suggest submission or humbling oneself. ก้มศีรษะ is a more formal way to say “bow/lower the head.”
Usage
It is commonly used when picking something up, tying shoes, looking at something low, looking down at a phone, lowering the face from embarrassment, bowing to an elder, or apologizing.
Caution
นั่งยองๆ means to squat by bending the knees, so it is not the same as ก้ม. ไหว้ is the Thai greeting or gesture with palms together; ก้ม only describes the lowering of the head or body within such an action. The opposite is เงย, “to raise the head or face.”
Differences from similar words
1 bend down synonyms
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น้อม often carries a respectful or deferential tone and can sound more formal. ก้ม is the everyday neutral word for lowering the head or upper body.
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โค้ง can mean to curve or bend, and it can also describe bowing the body. ก้ม focuses more specifically on lowering the head, face, or upper body.
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โน้ม means to lean or incline in a direction. ก้ม specifically emphasizes lowering the head or upper body downward.