นอกใจ

Explanation

The word combines นอก “outside” with ใจ “heart,” giving the image of one’s heart turning outside the relationship. It is an everyday verb and is not necessarily limited to a sexual affair. Depending on the speaker or couple, secret romantic feelings or emotionally intimate contact may also count as นอกใจ. The common pattern is “A นอกใจ B,” meaning that A cheats on B. The partner can be omitted when already clear from context.

Usage

Common in conversations between couples, relationship advice, explanations of breakups, dramas, and news reports. It often appears when discussing whether someone cheated, whether infidelity can be forgiven, or what behavior counts as cheating.

Caution

It is not normally used for simply changing one’s mind or for betrayal outside a romantic relationship. Use เปลี่ยนใจ for “change one’s mind” and ทรยศ for betrayal in a broader sense. Because it is a serious and potentially hurtful accusation, use it carefully when the facts are uncertain.

1 cheat on (a romantic partner) synonyms

• ทรยศ

  thɔɔrayót betray

  ทรยศ means to betray a person, group, or country in a broad sense. นอกใจ normally refers specifically to betrayal through romantic infidelity.

• มีชู้

  mii chúu have an affair

  มีชู้ more strongly suggests having an extramarital lover or affair. นอกใจ also applies to unmarried couples and may include emotional infidelity without a sexual relationship.