โค่น
fell (a tree)
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 fell (a tree)、fall down (as a tree)
- 2 overthrow (a government or ruler)、defeat (a champion or formidable opponent)
Describes bringing down something firmly established or standing upright. It is used literally for trees falling or being felled, and figuratively for toppling those in power or defeating formidable opponents.
fell (a tree)、fall down (as a tree)
Describes a tree or similar upright object being brought down from its base, or falling in that manner.
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คนงานใช้เลื่อยโค่นต้นไม้ khon ŋaan cháy lʉ̂ay khôon tôn máay The worker used a saw to cut down the tree. คนงานใช้เลื่อยโค่นต้นไม้ details
overthrow (a government or ruler)、defeat (a champion or formidable opponent)
Describes bringing down an established government or powerful figure, or defeating a formidable opponent who holds a leading position.
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โค่นรัฐบาล khôon rátthabaan overthrow the government โค่นรัฐบาล details
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โค่นแชมป์เก่า khôon chɛ́ɛm kàw defeat the defending champion โค่นแชมป์เก่า details
Learning notes
Explanation
The central image of โค่น is bringing down something that stands firmly, either literally from its base or figuratively from its position. Its literal use commonly concerns felling trees or trees brought down by a storm. Figuratively, it can describe overthrowing a government or ruler and defeating a champion or heavily favored opponent. The figurative use implies that the target is powerful or well established, giving the word a forceful and dramatic tone.
Usage
It is common in discussions of logging and trees brought down by storms. It also appears in political and historical reporting about toppling governments or rulers, and in sports coverage when a champion or highly favored opponent is defeated.
Caution
Use ล้ม for falling or knocking something down in a general sense, and ชนะ for ordinary wins. In politics, โค่น conveys forceful overthrow and confrontation, so it is not a neutral expression for a routine change of government.
Differences from similar words
1 fell (a tree) synonyms
2 overthrow (a government or ruler) synonyms
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ชนะ is the general word for winning or defeating someone, regardless of their status. โค่น is more dramatic and is often used when a champion, favorite, or otherwise formidable opponent is brought down.