กั๊กๆ
gák gákMeanings
1VerbB2
[to] hold [sth] back; withhold [sth]; keep [sb]/[sth] in reserve (colloquial, reduplicated)
to purposely not give or reveal everything, or to keep someone/something in reserve; reduplication adds a casual tone or suggests repeated/ongoing holding back
Examples
เวลาway-laaเวลาway-laa1time2time; period; occasion3when; at the time (that)4classifier: scheduled occasions; meals; dosesถามtăamถามtăam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateแผนเที่ยวpăen tîaoแผนเที่ยวpăen tîaotrip plan; travel plan; itineraryเขาkăoเขาkăo1he; him2she; her3they; them (context-dependent)4horn5mountain; hillก็gâwก็gâw1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerตอบdtòpตอบdtòp1[to] answer; reply2[to] respond; react3sunken; hollow (of cheeks/abdomen)แบบbàepแบบbàep1style; type; kind; manner2classifier for types, styles, or designs3model; pattern; design; template4form; questionnaire5model; person posing6in a ... way; -ly (pre-head adverbial marker)กั๊กๆgák gákกั๊กๆgák gák1[to] hold [sth] back; withhold [sth]; keep [sb]/[sth] in reserve (colloquial, reduplicated)2hesitant; half‑hearted; noncommittal (colloquial, reduplicated)3half‑heartedly; cautiously; guardedly (colloquial, reduplicated)เหมือนmĕuuanเหมือนmĕuuan1similar; alike2like; as3as if; as thoughมีmeeมีmee1[to] have; possess2there is/are; exist3[to] experience; undergoความลับkwaam lápความลับkwaam láp1a secret2secrecy; confidentiality3mystery; hidden truthอะไรบางอย่างà-rai baang yàangอะไรบางอย่างà-rai baang yàangsomething
When I asked about the travel plan, he answered evasively, as if he was holding back a secret.
3 more examplesShow less
โค้ชkóhtคงจะkong jàกั๊กๆgák gákผู้เล่นpôo lênตัวเก่งdtuua gèngไว้wáiลงสนามlong sà-năamตอนdtonครึ่งหลังkrûng lăngของkŏngเกมgaym
The coach is probably holding the star player in reserve to play in the second half of the game.
บริษัทbor-rí-sàtดูเหมือนdoo mĕuuanจะjàมีmeeท่าทีtâa-teeกั๊กๆgák gákเกี่ยวกับgìiao gàpคุณสมบัติใหม่kun-ná-sŏm-bàt màiของkŏngผลิตภัณฑ์pà-lìt-dtà-panเพื่อpêuuaรอดูro dooการเคลื่อนไหวgaan klûuean wăiของkŏngคู่แข่งkôo kàengก่อนgòn
The company seems to be purposely holding back on the product's new features, wanting to see the competitor's move first.
นักการเมืองnák gaan-meuuangคนkonนั้นnánให้สัมภาษณ์hâi săm-pâatแบบbàepกั๊กๆgák gákไม่mâiยอมyomเปิดเผยbpèrt pŏeiนโยบายná-yoh-baaiทั้งหมดtáng mòtทำให้tam hâiประชาชนbprà-chaa-chonยังคงyang kongสงสัยsŏng săiในnaiจุดยืนjùt yeunที่แท้จริงtêe táe jingของเขาkŏng kăo
That politician gave an evasive interview, refusing to reveal all his policies, which left the public still wondering about his true stance.
2AdjectiveB2
hesitant; half‑hearted; noncommittal (colloquial, reduplicated)
showing reluctance; not fully committing or sharing; suggests playing it safe
Examples
ถามtăamถามtăam1[to] ask; inquire2[to] ask about; consult3[to] question; interrogateอะไรà-raiอะไรà-rai1what2what; what kind of (modifier)3something; anything (unspecified)4what? (interjection of surprise/confusion)ก็gâwก็gâw1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerตอบdtòpตอบdtòp1[to] answer; reply2[to] respond; react3sunken; hollow (of cheeks/abdomen)แบบbàepแบบbàep1style; type; kind; manner2classifier for types, styles, or designs3model; pattern; design; template4form; questionnaire5model; person posing6in a ... way; -ly (pre-head adverbial marker)กั๊กๆgák gákกั๊กๆgák gák1[to] hold [sth] back; withhold [sth]; keep [sb]/[sth] in reserve (colloquial, reduplicated)2hesitant; half‑hearted; noncommittal (colloquial, reduplicated)3half‑heartedly; cautiously; guardedly (colloquial, reduplicated)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)ยอมyomยอมyom1[to] agree; consent2[to] allow; permit3[to] yield; give in; submit4[to] admit (acknowledge)บอกbòkบอกbòk1[to] tell; inform2[to] tell; instruct; ask [sb] to do [sth]3[to] indicate; showความจริงkwaam jingความจริงkwaam jing1truth; fact2actually; in fact; to tell the truthทั้งหมดtáng mòtทั้งหมดtáng mòt1all; entire; whole2all; in total; completely3the whole; everythingสักทีsàk teeสักทีsàk tee1finally; at last2already; for once (urging/complaint)
Whatever I ask, you answer reluctantly, never telling the whole truth.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkăoทำท่าtam tâaทีteeกั๊กๆgák gákตอนdtonเราraoชวนchuanไปเที่ยวbpai tîiaoเหมือนmĕuuanยังyangไม่mâiอยากyàakตัดสินใจdtàt-sĭn-jai
He acted hesitantly when we invited him on the trip, as if he didn't want to decide yet.
ผู้จัดการpôo jàt gaanยังyangพูดpôotกั๊กๆgák gákเรื่องrêuuangโบนัสปลายปีboh-nát bplaai bpeeทำให้tam hâiพนักงานpá-nák-ngaanหลายคนlăai konรู้สึกrúu-sèukไม่แน่นอนmâi nâe non
The manager is still being cagey about the year-end bonus, making many employees feel uncertain.
ท่าทีtâa-teeที่têeดูเหมือนdoo mĕuuanจะjàกั๊กๆgák gákของเขาkŏng kăoทำให้tam hâiฉันchănไม่แน่ใจmâi nâe jaiว่าwâaเขาkăoรู้สึกrúu-sèukยังไงyang ngaiกับgàpโปรเจกต์bproh-jèkนี้néeกันแน่gan nâae
His seemingly reluctant attitude makes me unsure how he really feels about this project.
3AdverbB2
half‑heartedly; cautiously; guardedly (colloquial, reduplicated)
in a manner that holds back or avoids full commitment or disclosure
Examples
อย่าyàaอย่าyàadon’t; do not (negative imperative)พูดจาpôot jaaพูดจาpôot jaa[to] speak; talk (how one speaks)แบบbàepแบบbàep1style; type; kind; manner2classifier for types, styles, or designs3model; pattern; design; template4form; questionnaire5model; person posing6in a ... way; -ly (pre-head adverbial marker)กั๊กๆgák gákกั๊กๆgák gák1[to] hold [sth] back; withhold [sth]; keep [sb]/[sth] in reserve (colloquial, reduplicated)2hesitant; half‑hearted; noncommittal (colloquial, reduplicated)3half‑heartedly; cautiously; guardedly (colloquial, reduplicated)สิsìสิsì1will; shall (Isan)2emphatic particle (statement)3urging/encouraging particle (imperative)มีอะไรmee à-raiมีอะไรmee à-rai1what is it?; what's up?2[to] have sex (euphemistic)ก็gâwก็gâw1also; too2then; so (sequence/result)3conditional marker (if… then…)4well; after all (emphasis/justification)5topic/resumption markerบอกbòkบอกbòk1[to] tell; inform2[to] tell; instruct; ask [sb] to do [sth]3[to] indicate; showมาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerตรงๆdtrong dtrongตรงๆdtrong dtrong1straight; directly2frankly; bluntly3straightforward; frankเลยloieเลยloie1at all; whatsoever (often in negatives)2so; thus; then (immediate result)3completely; absolutely (emphasis)4[to] pass; go beyond; exceed
Don't speak in such a reserved way. If you have something to say, just say it directly.
3 more examplesShow less
เขาkăoให้hâiข้อมูลkôr moonแบบbàepกั๊กๆgák gákเพราะpráwกลัวว่าgluua wâaคู่แข่งkôo kàengจะได้jà dâaiความลับkwaam lápไปbpai
He provided the information in a guarded manner because he was afraid competitors would get the secret.
นักการเมืองnák gaan-meuuangตอบคำถามdtòp kam tăamนักข่าวnák kàaoแบบbàepกั๊กๆgák gákเพื่อpêuuaหลีกเลี่ยงlèek lîangการให้gaan hâiคำมั่นสัญญาkam mân săn-yaaที่ชัดเจนtêe chát jayn
The politician answered the reporter's questions evasively to avoid making a clear commitment.
การลงทุนgaan long tunแบบbàepกั๊กๆgák gákอย่างนี้yàang néeไม่น่าจะmâi nâa jàให้hâiผลตอบแทนpŏn dtòp taenที่ดีtêe deeนักnákถ้าtâaจะjàทำtamก็gâwควรจะkuuan jàทุ่มเทtûm tayไปเลยbpai loie
Investing in a half-hearted manner like this is unlikely to yield good returns; if you're going to do it, you should commit fully.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is กั๊กๆ said กั๊ก-กั๊ก?
gák gák
Thai spelling does not always show how a word sounds. This is how it is said.
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markMai tri
- Syllable endingDead syllableNot needed here: the tone mark decides.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
High tone
gák
Starts high and keeps climbing.
Mid class + Mai tri → High
Tone chart
Every class and spelling pattern, with this syllable outlined.
| Mid class | High class | Low class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No mark + live | Mid | Rising | Mid |
| No mark + dead short | Low | Low | High |
| No mark + dead long | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai ek | Low | Low | Falling |
| Mai tho | Falling | Falling | High |
| Mai tri | High | — | — |
| Mai chattawa | Rising | — | — |