รังแก
bully
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 bully、mistreat
It describes bullying or mistreating someone who is less able to defend themselves, often involving an imbalance of power.
bully、mistreat
To bully or mistreat a person or animal that is vulnerable or less able to fight back.
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อย่ารังแกสัตว์ yàa raŋkɛɛ sàt Don't mistreat animals. อย่ารังแกสัตว์ details
Learning notes
Explanation
รังแก usually conveys more than simply bothering someone. It often suggests that a stronger person is unfairly hurting or intimidating someone who cannot easily fight back. It can also be used when an animal is mistreated. To describe the victim's experience, โดนรังแก is common in conversation, while ถูกรังแก is somewhat more neutral or formal. The nominal form การรังแก means “bullying” or “the act of mistreating someone.”
Usage
It is commonly used for bullying at school or within a group, older children picking on younger ones, and people in stronger positions mistreating vulnerable individuals. Parents and teachers often use it when warning children, and victims use it to report being bullied.
Caution
For playful teasing or a harmless prank, แกล้ง is usually more appropriate. รังแก suggests genuinely unfair and hurtful treatment and carries clear disapproval. It is not normally used to mean damaging an inanimate object.
Differences from similar words
1 bully synonyms
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กลั่นแกล้ง emphasizes deliberate or repeated harassment and is also used in formal or legal contexts. รังแก is a more general everyday word for bullying or mistreating a weaker party.
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ข่มเหง is a stronger, more formal word for oppressing or abusing someone through power. รังแก is common in everyday situations, including bullying among children.
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แกล้ง can describe teasing, playing a prank, or deliberately bothering someone and may be relatively playful. รังแก is more clearly condemnatory and commonly implies bullying or mistreating someone vulnerable.