หมา

Explanation

หมา is the usual everyday word for “dog.” It can refer to either a pet or a stray. Although casual, it is not vulgar when it simply refers to the animal. Dogs take the classifier ตัว, so หมาหนึ่งตัว means “one dog.” สุนัข is preferred in more formal or neutral contexts. น้องหมา is an affectionate way to refer to a dog, similar to “doggy” or “pup.” When หมา is used for a person, however, it conveys strong contempt. It can also add a sense of being nasty, crude, or low-quality in expressions such as ปากหมา.

Usage

It is widely used in everyday conversations about pets, dogs seen on the street, and warnings about stray or biting dogs. Public notices, news reports, and veterinary settings may favor the more formal สุนัข.

Caution

It is an ordinary casual word when referring to the animal, but calling a person หมา is highly offensive. Even when intended as a joke among friends, it can easily sound insulting. The word by itself is also not an affectionate equivalent of “doggy”; use น้องหมา when an affectionate tone is intended.

1 dog synonyms

• สุนัข

  sùnák dog

  สุนัข also means “dog,” but it is more neutral and formal and is common in notices, news reports, and professional writing. หมา is the natural, casual choice in everyday speech.