ซ้อม
practice
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 practice、rehearse、drill
- 2 beat up、physically assault
This word usually means repeatedly practicing or rehearsing to improve or prepare for an event. When a person is the object, it can instead mean beating or physically assaulting them.
practice、rehearse、drill
To repeat a skill, performance, or procedure in order to improve it or prepare for the real event.
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เด็กๆพากันซ้อมฟุตบอล dèk dèk phaa kan sɔ́ɔm fút bɔɔn The children are practicing soccer together. เด็กๆพากันซ้อมฟุตบอล details
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ฉันซ้อมเปียโนทุกวัน chǎn sɔ́ɔm pianoo thúk wan I practice the piano every day. ฉันซ้อมเปียโนทุกวัน details
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นักแสดงกำลังซ้อมละคร náksadɛɛŋ kamlaŋ sɔ́ɔm lakhɔɔn The actors are rehearsing the play. นักแสดงกำลังซ้อมละคร details
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ซ้อมหนีไฟ sɔ́ɔm nǐi fay conduct a fire evacuation drill ซ้อมหนีไฟ details
beat up、physically assault
A negative use meaning to repeatedly hit or otherwise subject someone to physical violence.
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เขาถูกสามีซ้อม khǎw thùuk sǎamii sɔ́ɔm She was beaten by her husband. เขาถูกสามีซ้อม details
Learning notes
Explanation
The most common use is for repeatedly practicing a sport, instrument, song, dance, or dramatic performance. The activity being practiced can follow the verb directly, as in ซ้อมฟุตบอล “practice soccer” and ซ้อมเปียโน “practice the piano.” It is also used for rehearsals and drills that simulate an actual event or emergency. การซ้อม is the corresponding noun-like form, meaning “practice,” “rehearsal,” or “drill.” When a person directly follows ซ้อม, however, the verb may mean physically beating that person rather than practicing with them. There is also a traditional sense involving pounding rice to remove the husk, but learners are now more likely to encounter it in expressions such as ข้าวซ้อมมือ, referring to hand-pounded, minimally milled rice.
Usage
It is common when discussing sports practice, music practice, stage rehearsals, preparation for performances, and emergency drills. The violent sense often appears in news reports and accounts of assault.
Caution
Do not confuse ซ้อม with the similarly spelled ซ่อม, meaning “repair.” For example, “repair a car” is ซ่อมรถ. To say “practice with him,” use ซ้อมกับเขา. Saying ซ้อมเขา may be understood as “beat him up.”
Differences from similar words
1 practice synonyms
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ฝึก broadly refers to learning or developing a skill or habit through training. ซ้อม focuses more on repeated practice or rehearsal, especially in preparation for a performance, game, or other real event.
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ลอง means to try something and does not necessarily imply repetition or improvement. ซ้อม means practicing repeatedly to improve or prepare.