love
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 love、be fond of、feel affection for、love one another、be close to one another
This word describes warm affection or fondness toward someone. It is often used for loving, close relationships among family members, friends, partners, or people in a community.
love、be fond of、feel affection for、love one another、be close to one another
To feel warm love or fondness for someone. With กัน, it often means that people love one another or are close and harmonious.
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พี่น้องควรรักใคร่กัน phîi nɔ́ɔŋ khuan rák khrây kan Siblings should love and care for one another. พี่น้องควรรักใคร่กัน details
Learning notes
Explanation
รักใคร่ combines รัก “to love” and ใคร่ “to desire or long for,” but in modern use the whole word is best understood as “to feel warm affection for someone.” Compared with plain รัก, it often gives a stronger sense of fondness, closeness, and warm human ties. Common patterns include รักใคร่กัน “to love one another; to be close,” เป็นที่รักใคร่ของ... “to be loved or fondly regarded by...,” and ความรักใคร่ “affection; fondness.”
Usage
Use this word when talking about affection within a family, closeness between siblings, a loving relationship between partners, or warm ties between teachers and students, friends, or people in a community. It works in both speech and writing, with a somewhat composed and respectful tone.
Caution
Do not use it for casual likes or preferences for things, food, or activities; use ชอบ instead. When directly saying “I love you” or “I like you” to a romantic partner, รัก or ชอบ is usually more natural.
Differences from similar words
1 love synonyms
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ชอบ means “like” and can be used for things, food, activities, and people. รักใคร่ is mainly for affection toward people and is not normally used for liking objects or food.
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รัก is the most general word for “love.” รักใคร่ sounds a little warmer and more composed, emphasizing affection, fondness, and close personal ties.
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เอ็นดู means to feel tender affection, often toward children or someone younger. รักใคร่ is broader and can describe affection among family members, friends, partners, or members of a group.