กุม
hold firmly
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- 1 hold firmly、clasp、press or clutch
- 2 control、wield (power or authority)、hold (in one's hands)
- 3 take into custody、arrest
This verb describes holding something firmly and keeping it from getting away. It also extends to having control over power or authority and to taking a person into custody.
hold firmly、clasp、press or clutch
To hold or press something firmly with the hand or arm, often with a surrounding or enclosing motion.
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กุมมือ kum mʉʉ hold someone's hand กุมมือ details
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เขากุมมือเธอไว้ khǎw kum mʉʉ thəə wáy He held her hand. เขากุมมือเธอไว้ details
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กุมขมับ kum khàmàp hold one's temples กุมขมับ details
control、wield (power or authority)、hold (in one's hands)
To possess and exercise control over power, authority, influence, or an important outcome.
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กุมอำนาจ kum amnâat wield power กุมอำนาจ details
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พรรคนี้กุมอำนาจมานาน phák níi kum amnâat maa naan This party has held power for a long time. พรรคนี้กุมอำนาจมานาน details
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กุมชะตากรรมของประเทศ kum chátaakam khɔ̌ɔŋ prathêet hold the country's fate in one's hands กุมชะตากรรมของประเทศ details
take into custody、arrest
To place someone under official restraint or custody, normally in the expressions กุมตัว or จับกุม.
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ผู้ต้องสงสัยถูกกุมตัว phûu tɔ̂ŋ sǒŋsǎy thùuk kum tua The suspect was taken into custody. ผู้ต้องสงสัยถูกกุมตัว details
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ตำรวจจับกุมผู้ต้องสงสัย tamrùat càp kum phûu tɔ̂ŋ sǒŋsǎy The police arrested the suspect. ตำรวจจับกุมผู้ต้องสงสัย details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image is that of enclosing something firmly and not letting it get away. In its physical sense, it appears in expressions such as กุมมือ, “hold someone's hand,” and กุมขมับ, “hold one's temples.” It is not the general-purpose verb for simply holding or carrying an object. The same image extends metaphorically to keeping power, authority, or control in one's hands, as in กุมอำนาจ, “wield power.” In กุมตัว, “take into custody,” and จับกุม, “arrest,” it describes securing a person so that they cannot leave. These forms are common in news reports and official contexts.
Usage
It is used when someone firmly holds another person's hand or clutches part of the body because of pain, distress, or laughter. It is also common in political and organizational contexts when discussing who holds power or control. The forms กุมตัว and จับกุม frequently occur in reports about police custody and arrests.
Caution
For simply holding or carrying an object, ถือ is usually the natural choice. Use กำ for gripping something inside a closed fist and จับ for the broader action of catching or taking hold of something. For “arrest,” กุม is normally not used alone; จับกุม is the standard expression. Use กุมตัว when the intended meaning is to secure or take a person into custody.
Differences from similar words
1 hold firmly synonyms
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กำ means closing the fingers around something as if making a fist. กุม can involve enclosing or pressing something with the palm or arms rather than gripping it inside a closed fist.
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จับ is the general verb for catching, touching, or taking hold of something. กุม more strongly suggests enclosing something with the hand and holding it firmly in place.
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ถือ is the ordinary verb for holding or carrying an object. กุม emphasizes keeping a firm hold on it rather than simply having it in one's hand.
2 control synonyms
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ครอง means to occupy, possess, or reign over a position, territory, or throne. กุม focuses more on having effective control or decision-making power.
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คุม broadly means to manage, supervise, or keep people and situations under control. กุม emphasizes possessing power, authority, or leverage and keeping it firmly in one's hands.