ศพ
dead body
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 dead body、corpse、human remains
- 2 [counter for human bodies or corpses]
This word refers to the body of a person who has died. It is common in funerals, hospitals, police work, and news reports, and it also serves as the classifier for human remains.
dead body、corpse、human remains
The body or remains of a person who has died, especially in funeral, medical, police, or news contexts.
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พบศพในแม่น้ำ phóp sòp nay mɛ̂ɛnáam A body was found in the river. พบศพในแม่น้ำ details
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ครอบครัวไปรับศพที่โรงพยาบาล khrɔ̂ɔpkhrua pay ráp sòp thîi rooŋ pháyaabaan The family went to the hospital to collect the body. ครอบครัวไปรับศพที่โรงพยาบาล details
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พรุ่งนี้จะมีพิธีเผาศพ phrûŋníi cà mii phíthii phǎw sòp The cremation ceremony will be held tomorrow. พรุ่งนี้จะมีพิธีเผาศพ details
[counter for human bodies or corpses]
Used as the numerical classifier when counting human bodies or corpses.
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พบศพสามศพ phóp sòp sǎam sòp Three bodies were found. พบศพสามศพ details
Learning notes
Explanation
ศพ is the standard noun for the body of a person after death. It is direct but not inherently vulgar, and is widely used in funeral, medical, police, legal, and news contexts. Common combinations include พบศพ “find a body,” รับศพ “collect or receive a body,” เผาศพ “cremate a body,” and ฝังศพ “bury a body.” The same word is also used as its own classifier, as in ศพหนึ่งศพ, “one body.”
Usage
It commonly appears in discussions of funerals, such as งานศพ “funeral” and เผาศพ “cremate a body.” News reports about crimes, accidents, or disasters often use พบศพ “find a body,” while hospitals and police may use รับศพ for collecting or releasing a body.
Caution
ศพ normally refers to human remains. For a dead animal, ซากสัตว์ is generally used instead. Because ศพ is direct, ผู้เสียชีวิต “the deceased” or ร่างผู้เสียชีวิต “the body of the deceased” may sound more considerate when speaking with bereaved family members.
Differences from similar words
1 dead body synonyms
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ซากศพ often suggests decomposed, damaged, or long-dead remains and can sound more graphic. ศพ is the neutral term and does not specify the condition of the body.