พัง
break
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 break、be out of order、collapse、break down
- 2 fail、fall apart、be ruined、collapse
- 3 female elephant
พัง describes something losing its normal form, function, or viability. It can mean a physical thing breaks or collapses, or that a plan, situation, or system fails badly.
break、be out of order、collapse、break down
Used when an object, machine, structure, or physical thing breaks, collapses, or becomes unusable.
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โทรศัพท์พัง thoorasàp phaŋ The phone is broken. โทรศัพท์พัง details
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รถพังกลางทาง rót phaŋ klaaŋ thaaŋ The car broke down on the way. รถพังกลางทาง details
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บ้านพังเพราะพายุ bâan phaŋ phrɔ́ phaayú The house was damaged by the storm. บ้านพังเพราะพายุ details
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เขาพังประตูเข้าไป khǎw phaŋ pratuu khâw pay He broke down the door and went in. เขาพังประตูเข้าไป details
fail、fall apart、be ruined、collapse
Used when a plan, project, economy, relationship, or situation fails or falls apart badly.
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แผนพังหมด phɛ̌ɛn phaŋ mòt The whole plan fell apart. แผนพังหมด details
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ความสัมพันธ์ของเขาพังแล้ว khwaamsǎmphan khɔ̌ɔŋ khǎw phaŋ lɛ́ɛw Their relationship has fallen apart. ความสัมพันธ์ของเขาพังแล้ว details
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เศรษฐกิจพัง sèetthakìt phaŋ The economy collapsed. เศรษฐกิจพัง details
female elephant
A term for a female elephant. This is a specific animal-related meaning and is much less common in everyday learner contexts.
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ช้างพัง cháaŋ phaŋ a female elephant ช้างพัง details
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พังเชือกนี้ตัวใหญ่ phaŋ chʉ̂ak níi tua yày This female elephant is large. พังเชือกนี้ตัวใหญ่ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The core idea of พัง is that something has lost its normal shape, function, or viability. It is used for physical things such as phones, cars, doors, and buildings, and also for abstract things such as plans, work, relationships, or an economy. Adding แล้ว often gives the sense that it has already broken down or is now ruined. The elephant meaning, “female elephant,” is a separate specialized sense.
Usage
Use พัง in everyday speech when a phone, car, appliance, piece of furniture, building, or structure breaks or collapses. It is also common when a plan, job, relationship, or economy fails badly. Short patterns like โทรศัพท์พัง, รถพัง, and แผนพัง are very natural.
Caution
พัง can sound too strong for a minor problem or temporary glitch; เสีย or ใช้ไม่ได้ may be more natural in those cases. Be careful using it directly about a person, because it can sound like you are calling them a failure or a mess.
Differences from similar words
1 break synonyms
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ทำลาย focuses on destroying something, often intentionally. พัง can be either intransitive or transitive, and in everyday speech it often emphasizes the result: the thing is broken or ruined.
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เสีย is a broad, neutral word for something being broken, spoiled, or not working properly. พัง often sounds stronger, suggesting the thing is badly broken or no longer usable.
2 fail synonyms
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ล้มเหลว means “to fail” and can sound more formal or descriptive. พัง is common in conversation and often carries the feeling that the situation is ruined or beyond recovery.