Main Translations

English: Coward

Thai: คนขี้กลัว (Kon kee glua)

Phonetic: [kɔn kiː ɡlùə] (Approximate Romanization: "kon kee glua")

Detailed Explanation: The word "coward" is a noun that refers to a person who lacks courage, especially in situations involving danger, confrontation, or moral decisions. It carries strong negative emotional connotations, implying weakness, fearfulness, and a failure to act bravely. In usage scenarios, it is often employed in everyday conversations, literature, or criticisms to highlight someone's avoidance of responsibility. For instance, in Thai culture, "คนขี้กลัว" is commonly used in similar contexts, such as describing someone who backs down from a challenge, and it evokes feelings of disappointment or disdain. This translation is versatile and appears in both formal and informal settings, making it a primary equivalent.

Thai: ผู้กลัว (Phu glua)

Phonetic: [pʰûː ɡlùə] (Approximate Romanization: "phu glua")

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "ผู้กลัว" literally means "a person who fears" and is used to describe someone exhibiting cowardly behavior. It has semantic nuances that emphasize fear as the root cause, often in more formal or literary contexts. Emotionally, it conveys a sense of pity or mild criticism rather than outright condemnation, unlike "คนขี้กลัว," which is more colloquial and direct. Usage scenarios include storytelling, psychological discussions, or educational settings, where the focus is on the individual's internal struggles with fear rather than public judgment.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "coward" is primarily used in scenarios involving personal bravery, moral dilemmas, or confrontations. It appears in everyday conversations, literature, business negotiations, leisure activities, and formal discussions to criticize or describe someone who avoids risks due to fear. In Thai contexts, it often reflects cultural values of honor and resilience, making it a common term in both positive motivational speeches and negative critiques. Overall, its usage highlights emotional and psychological aspects, with applications ranging from informal banter to serious ethical debates.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The manager was labeled a coward for avoiding the difficult conversation with the team.

Thai: ผู้จัดการถูกเรียกว่าคนขี้กลัวเพราะหลีกเลี่ยงการพูดคุยที่ยากลำบากกับทีมงาน (Phu jang gahn tuk riia waa kon kee glua proh leek lien gaan phut khui thi yaak la mbak gap tim wang).

Grammatical Breakdown: "The manager" (subject, noun phrase) + "was labeled" (passive verb in past tense) + "a coward" (predicate noun) + "for avoiding" (prepositional phrase indicating reason) + "the difficult conversation" (object, noun phrase) + "with the team" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: This sentence follows a simple subject-verb-object structure with a passive voice to emphasize the action done to the subject. In Thai, the structure is SVO (Subject-Verb-Object), with the reason clause ("proh leek lien") providing context, making it suitable for professional settings where indirect criticism is common.

Leisure Scenario

English: Don't be a coward; join us for the adventure hike in the mountains.

Thai: อย่ามาเป็นคนขี้กลัวเลย ร่วมเดินป่าผจญภัยกับเราบนภูเขาด้วยสิ (Ya ma bpen kon kee glua loei, ruam doen pa pho chan phai gap rao bon phu khao duay si).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Don't be" (imperative verb phrase with negation) + "a coward" (object, noun) + ";" (pause) + "join us" (verb + object pronoun) + "for the adventure hike" (prepositional phrase) + "in the mountains" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: This is an imperative sentence encouraging action, using direct address for motivation. In Thai, it employs casual language with particles like "loei" for emphasis, ideal for leisure contexts where persuasion is light-hearted and social.

Formal Occasion

English: In history, many leaders have been accused of being cowards during times of war.

Thai: ในประวัติศาสตร์ ผู้ปกครองหลายคนถูกกล่าวหาว่าเป็นผู้กลัวในช่วงเวลาสงคราม (Nai bpra wat ti sat, phu pok krong lae khon tuk glao ha waa bpen phu glua nai chun wela sǒng kram).

Grammatical Breakdown: "In history" (prepositional phrase) + "many leaders" (subject, noun phrase) + "have been accused" (passive verb in present perfect tense) + "of being cowards" (infinitive phrase as object) + "during times of war" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: The sentence uses passive voice for objectivity, common in formal writing. Thai structure maintains SVO with formal vocabulary, suitable for educational or historical discussions to convey impartial critique.

Informal Occasion

English: You're such a coward for not standing up to the bully at school.

Thai: นายเป็นคนขี้กลัวจริงๆ ที่ไม่ยอมต่อสู้กับคนที่รังแกที่โรงเรียน (Nai bpen kon kee glua jing-jing thi mai yom tor suu gap khon thi rang gae thi rohng rian).

Grammatical Breakdown: "You're" (subject contraction) + "such a coward" (predicate adjective phrase) + "for not standing up" (prepositional phrase) + "to the bully" (object) + "at school" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: This declarative sentence uses informal language for emotional emphasis. In Thai, it includes intensifiers like "jing-jing" for exaggeration, making it effective in casual, peer-to-peer conversations.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: He is a coward who runs from every challenge.

Thai: เขาเป็นคนขี้กลัวที่วิ่งหนีจากความท้าทายทุกครั้ง (Khao bpen kon kee glua thi wing nee jaak khwam tha tha yai took khrang).

Grammatical Breakdown: "He is" (subject + linking verb) + "a coward" (predicate noun) + "who runs" (relative clause) + "from every challenge" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: A straightforward declarative structure for stating facts, with a relative clause for detail. Thai mirrors this with embedded clauses for clarity.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Are you calling me a coward for refusing to fight?

Thai: คุณเรียกผมว่าเป็นคนขี้กลัวเพราะผมปฏิเสธที่จะสู้หรือ? (Khun riak phom waa bpen kon kee glua proh phom bpati set thi ja soo reu?)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Are you" (auxiliary verb + subject) + "calling me" (verb + object) + "a coward" (object complement) + "for refusing" (prepositional phrase) + "to fight?" (infinitive phrase).

Structural Analysis: This yes/no question builds tension; Thai uses rising intonation markers like "reu" for inquiry, common in confrontational dialogues.

Imperative Sentence

English: Stop acting like a coward and face your fears!

Thai: หยุดแสดงตัวเป็นคนขี้กลัวและเผชิญหน้ากับความกลัวของคุณ! (Yud sa daang dtua bpen kon kee glua lae pher chiang na gap khwam glua khong khun!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "Stop" (imperative verb) + "acting like" (gerund phrase) + "a coward" (object) + "and face" (conjunction + imperative verb) + "your fears" (object).

Structural Analysis: Commands for motivation; Thai employs exclamation for urgency, effective in self-improvement contexts.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: What a coward you are for backing out at the last minute!

Thai: ช่างเป็นคนขี้กลัวอะไรอย่างนี้ ที่ถอยหันในนาทีสุดท้าย! (Chang bpen kon kee glua arai yang nee, thi thoi han nai na thi sut thi!)

Grammatical Breakdown: "What a coward" (exclamation phrase) + "you are" (subject + linking verb) + "for backing out" (prepositional phrase) + "at the last minute" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Exclamatory for emphasis; Thai uses "chang" for surprise, heightening emotional expression.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: He is a coward.

Thai: เขาเป็นคนขี้กลัว (Khao bpen kon kee glua).

Grammatical Breakdown: "He is" (subject + verb) + "a coward" (predicate noun).

Structural Analysis: Basic subject-predicate structure for beginners; Thai is equally straightforward.

Intermediate Sentence

English: She acted like a coward during the storm.

Thai: เธอแสดงตัวเป็นคนขี้กลัวในช่วงพายุ (Thoe sa daang dtua bpen kon kee glua nai chun pa yoo).

Grammatical Breakdown: "She acted" (subject + verb) + "like a coward" (adverbial phrase) + "during the storm" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Adds context with phrases; suitable for intermediate learners to build descriptive skills.

Complex Sentence

English: Although he claimed to be brave, his actions proved him to be a coward in the face of danger.

Thai: แม้เขาจะอ้างว่าตัวเองกล้าหาญ แต่พฤติกรรมของเขาก็พิสูจน์ว่าเขาเป็นคนขี้กลัวเมื่อเผชิญกับอันตราย (Mae khao ja aeng waa dtua eng glah han, tae phrued ti gam khong khao ga phi sooj waa khao bpen kon kee glua muea pher chiang gap an tra yai).

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although he claimed" (subordinate clause) + "to be brave" (infinitive phrase) + "," (connector) + "his actions proved" (main clause) + "him to be a coward" (object complement) + "in the face of danger" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: Uses subordination for contrast; Thai employs conjunctions like "mae" for complexity, ideal for advanced contexts.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Wimp – Used informally to describe someone who is weak-willed or easily intimidated, often in casual conversations (e.g., "He's just a wimp who avoids conflicts").
• Chicken – A slang term implying fearfulness, commonly in playful or derogatory contexts (e.g., "Don't be a chicken; try the rollercoaster").

Antonyms:

• Brave – Refers to someone courageous and willing to face dangers, often used positively (e.g., "She was brave during the crisis").
• Hero – Denotes a person of exceptional courage, especially in cultural or literary narratives (e.g., "He acted like a hero in saving others").

Common Collocations:

• Cowardly act – Refers to behavior driven by fear, often in ethical discussions (e.g., "His cowardly act of fleeing the scene was widely criticized").
• Proven coward – Emphasizes repeated instances of cowardice, used in formal judgments (e.g., "History remembers him as a proven coward").

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, the concept of "coward" is tied to traditional values of "kreng jai" (consideration and humility), but it can also conflict with expectations of bravery in contexts like military service or family protection. For example, stories in Thai folklore often portray cowards as characters who learn from their fears, reflecting a cultural emphasis on personal growth rather than permanent judgment.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Coward" and its Thai equivalents are frequently used in informal settings among younger generations, such as social media or peer interactions, due to their popularity in motivational content. However, in formal groups like educators or professionals, it's less common to avoid offense, with alternatives like "fearful" preferred for politeness.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Coward" functions primarily as a noun, serving as a subject, object, or complement in sentences (e.g., subject in "The coward fled"). It can also form the adjective "cowardly" to modify nouns (e.g., "cowardly behavior").

Tense and Voice: As a noun, "coward" does not change with tense but can appear in various verb tenses through associated actions (e.g., "was a coward" in past tense). In passive voice constructions, it often emphasizes the label (e.g., "He was called a coward").

References

Etymology and History:

The word "coward" originates from the Old French "coeard," meaning "tail," implying a dog with its tail between its legs in fear. It evolved in Middle English around the 13th century to denote a timid person. In Thai, "คนขี้กลัว" draws from native roots like "ขี้" (meaning "easily") and "กลัว" (fear), reflecting indigenous expressions of cowardice.

Literary References:

• From William Shakespeare's *Henry IV, Part 1*: "I am no counterfeit; thou art a coward and a villain." (This line highlights the word's use in dramatic confrontations, emphasizing moral judgment.)
• From modern literature, in George Orwell's *1984*: "He had been a coward, and he knew it." (This portrays internal reflection, showing the word's psychological depth.)