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Thai

คดี

Pronunciation

khadii

คดี

khadii

legal case

Native recording

Analyzing pitch…

  1. 1 legal case、lawsuit、court case、criminal case
  2. 2 case [classifier for legal cases]

คดี refers to a legal case, lawsuit, or criminal case handled by police, courts, or legal authorities. It is not just any event; it implies an official legal matter.

1

legal case、lawsuit、court case、criminal case

Noun⭐️3 Common Loanword

A legal matter that may involve investigation, prosecution, trial, or other official legal proceedings.

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2

case [classifier for legal cases]

Classifier⭐️2 Not often used Loanword

The classifier used to count legal cases or lawsuits.

Learning notes

Explanation

คดี is a Pali-derived word and sounds fairly formal. In modern everyday use, it mainly belongs to news, police, legal, and court contexts. Its core idea is a matter treated through legal procedures. Common combinations include สืบสวนคดี “investigate a case,” ฟ้องคดี “file a lawsuit,” ดำเนินคดี “take legal action/prosecute,” พิจารณาคดี “hear a case,” and ปิดคดี “close a case.” Older formal or literary meanings such as “matter,” “path,” or “method” exist, but they are not central for modern learners.

Usage

This word is common in crime reports, police investigations, court proceedings, lawsuits, legal consultations, and official news. It fits situations such as murder cases, criminal cases, civil lawsuits, and investigations handled by authorities.

Caution

For an ordinary event, use เหตุการณ์; for a general matter or topic, use เรื่อง; and for a general case or situation, use กรณี. Using คดี for a small everyday problem can make it sound like a police or court matter.

Differences from similar words

1 legal case synonyms

  • กรณี means a case, situation, or instance in a general sense. คดี is narrower and refers to a legal case.

  • เรื่อง is a broad word for a matter, topic, or issue. คดี is specifically a matter handled as a legal case.

  • เหตุการณ์ means an event or incident in general. คดี means a case with legal or official proceedings.

Component words

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