คอแข็ง

Explanation

คอ means “neck” or “throat,” and แข็ง means “hard, stiff, or strong.” Its most important everyday sense is having a high tolerance for alcohol. คนคอแข็ง means “a person who can hold their liquor,” while ไม่คอแข็ง means that someone cannot tolerate much alcohol. It describes alcohol tolerance, not a liking for alcohol or a habit of drinking often. In physical contexts, it can literally describe a stiff, difficult-to-move neck. It also has an adverbial use for someone who falls rigidly silent because they cannot argue back, though this is less central than the alcohol-related sense.

Usage

It is commonly used in conversations about drinking to describe how much alcohol someone can handle and how easily they become drunk. It can also appear in discussions of neck stiffness after sleeping or muscle strain. In its speechlessness sense, it describes a person becoming silent when confronted with something they cannot deny or answer.

Caution

For a stubborn or strong-willed personality, หัวแข็ง is normally more appropriate. When คอแข็ง is used about a person without further context, it will most readily be understood as referring to alcohol tolerance.

1 able to hold one's liquor synonyms

• คอทองแดง

  คอทองแดง is a more colorful, exaggerated expression for someone with an exceptionally high alcohol tolerance. คอแข็ง is the more straightforward everyday description.