เกา

Explanation

The primary and most common meaning of เกา is to scratch itchy skin with the nails or something similar. It commonly follows the pattern เกา + body part, as in เกาแขน “scratch one's arm” and เกาหลัง “scratch one's back.” The object can be omitted when it is clear from context, as in อย่าเกา “Don't scratch it.” เกาหัว “scratch one's head” can describe either a literal action or a gesture showing uncertainty or difficulty thinking.

Usage

It is commonly used when talking about mosquito bites, rashes, an itchy scalp, or other itchy areas. It also appears in everyday requests, such as asking someone to scratch your back, and in medical conversations about skin irritation.

Caution

คัน describes the state of being itchy, while เกา describes the act of scratching. Use ข่วน for forceful clawing or scratching that may leave a wound, and ขูด for scraping material from a surface.

1 scratch synonyms

• ข่วน

  khùan scratch (with a nail, claw, thorn, etc.)

  ข่วน means to claw or scratch forcefully, often leaving a mark or wound. เกา usually means to scratch an itchy area for relief.

• ขูด

  khùut scrape

  ขูด means to scrape a surface, often to remove a layer or residue with a tool. เกา primarily refers to scratching itchy skin with the nails or fingertips.