close buddy
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 close buddy、trusted companion、partner in a duo
คู่หู refers to a close, trusted companion with whom someone regularly spends time or works as a team. It can describe either a best buddy or a partner in a well-matched duo.
close buddy、trusted companion、partner in a duo
A close and trusted companion who regularly spends time with someone or works alongside them as a team.
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เขาเป็นคู่หูของฉัน khǎw pen khûu hǔu khɔ̌ɔŋ chǎn He is my buddy. เขาเป็นคู่หูของฉัน details
Learning notes
Explanation
คู่หู is a friendly, informal word suggesting more than ordinary closeness: the two people get along well and are often together. It can refer to one person as someone else’s companion, as in คู่หูของเขา (“his partner”), or describe two people mutually with เป็นคู่หูกัน (“to be buddies/a duo”). In เพื่อนคู่หู, it modifies เพื่อน and presents the friend as a particularly close, constant companion. Although คู่ means “pair” and หู normally means “ear,” learners should treat คู่หู as a single idiomatic word meaning “buddy” or “sidekick.” When counting people described this way, use the classifier คน. Depending on context, it may refer to close friends, police or detective partners, teammates, or even partners in mischief. The word itself does not imply romance or wrongdoing.
Usage
It is common in casual conversation about very close friends and when describing a well-matched pair of police officers, detectives, coworkers, or teammates. It is also often used for inseparable duos and sidekicks in movies, comics, and stories.
Caution
คู่หู suggests a stronger bond than an ordinary friend, so it may sound exaggerated for someone you barely know. It is also different from คู่ชีวิต, a life partner or spouse, and หุ้นส่วน, a formal business partner. By itself, คู่หู does not mean a romantic partner or legal business partner.