Main Translations

English: demolish

Thai: ทำลาย (tham-lai)

Phonetic: tham-lai

Detailed Explanation: The word "demolish" is a transitive verb that means to completely destroy or tear down something, often with force or systematically. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical structures, like buildings, but can also apply metaphorically, such as demolishing an argument in a debate. In Thai, "ทำลาย" carries similar connotations of destruction, with emotional undertones of loss or irreversibility, and is frequently used in news reports about urban development or natural disasters. This translation emphasizes physical or figurative ruin, aligning with SEO-focused searches for "demolish meaning in Thai."

Thai: รื้อถอน (rue-thon)

Phonetic: rue-thon

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "รื้อถอน" specifically refers to the act of dismantling or tearing down structures, such as in construction or renovation projects. It implies a more deliberate and planned process compared to "ทำลาย," which can be sudden or violent. In Thai culture, this word often appears in discussions about infrastructure changes, evoking nuances of progress versus heritage loss. For users searching "demolish in Thai," this highlights practical, real-world applications like urban renewal.

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "demolish" is primarily used as a verb in English and Thai to describe the destruction of physical objects, ideas, or entities. Its main usage scenarios include construction and urban planning (e.g., demolishing buildings), competitive contexts (e.g., demolishing opponents in sports), and figurative situations (e.g., demolishing arguments in debates). In Thai, it often appears in formal or professional settings, reflecting themes of change and renewal, which ties into SEO keywords like "demolish usage examples."

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The construction company plans to demolish the old factory to make way for a new shopping mall.

Thai: บริษัทก่อสร้างวางแผนที่จะรื้อถอนโรงงานเก่าเพื่อสร้างห้างสรรพสินค้าใหม่

Grammatical Breakdown: "The construction company" is the subject (noun phrase); "plans to demolish" is the main verb phrase in present tense; "the old factory" is the direct object; "to make way for a new shopping mall" is an infinitive phrase acting as the purpose.

Structural Analysis: This is a complex sentence with a main clause and a subordinate clause, emphasizing future action in a professional context. In Thai, the structure follows subject-verb-object order, making it straightforward for SEO-related language learning.

Leisure Scenario

English: During the game, the home team managed to demolish their rivals with a stunning 5-0 victory.

Thai: ระหว่างการแข่งขัน ทีมเจ้าบ้านสามารถทำลายคู่แข่งด้วยชัยชนะ 5-0 ที่น่าทึ่ง

Grammatical Breakdown: "The home team" is the subject; "managed to demolish" is the verb phrase in past tense; "their rivals" is the direct object; "with a stunning 5-0 victory" is a prepositional phrase providing detail.

Structural Analysis: This sentence uses a compound structure to build excitement, common in informal narratives. The Thai version maintains a similar flow, aiding users searching for "demolish in everyday Thai."

Formal Occasion

English: The government has decided to demolish the historic bridge due to safety concerns.

Thai: รัฐบาลได้ตัดสินใจทำลายสะพานประวัติศาสตร์เนื่องจากปัญหาความปลอดภัย

Grammatical Breakdown: "The government" is the subject; "has decided to demolish" is the present perfect tense verb; "the historic bridge" is the direct object; "due to safety concerns" is a prepositional phrase explaining the reason.

Structural Analysis: This declarative sentence employs formal language for official announcements, with Thai mirroring the structure for clarity in professional contexts, enhancing SEO for "demolish formal usage."

Informal Occasion

English: I just heard they're going to demolish that ugly building next door—finally!

Thai: ฉันเพิ่งได้ยินว่าพวกเขาจะรื้อถอนอาคารน่าเกลียดข้างๆ สักที!

Grammatical Breakdown: "I just heard" is the introductory clause; "they're going to demolish" is the future tense verb; "that ugly building next door" is the object; "finally" is an adverb for emphasis.

Structural Analysis: This exclamatory-informal sentence conveys relief, with Thai using casual tone markers like exclamation for relatability, suitable for searches on "demolish in casual Thai."

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: Workers will demolish the wall tomorrow.

Thai: คนงานจะทำลายกำแพงพรุ่งนี้

Grammatical Breakdown: "Workers" is the subject; "will demolish" is the future tense verb; "the wall" is the object; "tomorrow" is an adverb of time.

Structural Analysis: Simple subject-verb-object structure, ideal for basic communication; Thai follows a parallel pattern for ease of learning.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Will the city council vote to demolish the abandoned warehouse?

Thai: สภาเมืองจะลงคะแนนโหวตเพื่อรื้อถอนโกดังรกร้างหรือไม่?

Grammatical Breakdown: "Will the city council vote" is the interrogative verb phrase; "to demolish the abandoned warehouse" is the infinitive object phrase.

Structural Analysis: Inverted structure for questions, promoting inquiry; Thai uses question particles for natural flow, supporting SEO for "demolish question examples."

Imperative Sentence

English: Demolish the structure carefully to avoid any accidents.

Thai: ทำลายโครงสร้างอย่างระมัดระวังเพื่อป้องกันอุบัติเหตุ

Grammatical Breakdown: "Demolish" is the base form verb (imperative); "the structure" is the direct object; "carefully" is an adverb.

Structural Analysis: Direct command format, with Thai employing polite imperatives for instruction, useful in practical scenarios.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: They demolished the entire block in just one day!

Thai: พวกเขาทำลายบล็อกทั้งหมดภายในหนึ่งวัน!

Grammatical Breakdown: "They demolished" is the main clause; "the entire block" is the object; "in just one day" adds emphasis.

Structural Analysis: Exaggeration through exclamation, mirrored in Thai for emotional impact, aligning with "demolish exclamatory usage."

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: They will demolish the house.

Thai: พวกเขาจะทำลายบ้าน

Grammatical Breakdown: "They" is the subject; "will demolish" is the verb; "the house" is the object.

Structural Analysis: Basic structure for beginners, with Thai offering a direct equivalent for foundational learning.

Intermediate Sentence

English: The team decided to demolish the outdated equipment before starting the new project.

Thai: ทีมตัดสินใจทำลายอุปกรณ์เก่าก่อนเริ่มโครงการใหม่

Grammatical Breakdown: "The team" is the subject; "decided to demolish" is the verb phrase; "the outdated equipment" is the object; "before starting the new project" is a subordinate clause.

Structural Analysis: Combines main and dependent clauses, building complexity; Thai structure supports intermediate learners searching "demolish intermediate examples."

Complex Sentence

English: Although the building was historically significant, the authorities chose to demolish it due to structural risks and urban expansion plans.

Thai: แม้ว่าอาคารจะมีความสำคัญทางประวัติศาสตร์ แต่ทางการเลือกที่จะรื้อถอนมันเนื่องจากความเสี่ยงทางโครงสร้างและแผนขยายเมือง

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although the building was historically significant" is a subordinate clause; "the authorities chose to demolish it" is the main clause; "due to structural risks and urban expansion plans" is a prepositional phrase.

Structural Analysis: Multi-clause construction for advanced use, with Thai preserving logical flow, ideal for SEO queries on "demolish complex sentences."

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Destroy – Often used interchangeably with demolish, but implies more complete annihilation; e.g., in contexts of war or accidents.
• Wreck – A near synonym focusing on severe damage, commonly in informal settings like vehicle accidents.

Antonyms:

• Build – The opposite of demolish, referring to construction and creation; e.g., in development projects.
• Preserve – Used to counter demolish, emphasizing protection of structures or ideas.

Common Collocations:

• Demolish a building – Refers to tearing down structures, frequent in real estate and urban planning discussions.
• Demolish an argument – Figuratively means to refute or dismantle ideas, common in debates or essays.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, words like "ทำลาย" or "รื้อถอน" often tie into rapid urbanization and modernization, where demolishing historical sites sparks debates about heritage versus progress. For instance, in Bangkok, demolitions for infrastructure projects reflect a balance between tradition and development, influencing how "demolish" is perceived in media and public discourse.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Demolish" and its Thai equivalents are frequently used in formal contexts like news reports or official statements, with high popularity among urban professionals and policymakers. It is less common in everyday casual talk but appears in social media discussions about environmental issues, making it relevant for younger demographics searching "demolish usage in Thai culture."

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Demolish" functions as a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (e.g., "demolish a building"). It can act as the main verb in a sentence or part of a verb phrase.

Tense and Voice: In English, it changes with tenses: present (demolish), past (demolished), future (will demolish), and progressive forms (is demolishing). In passive voice, it becomes "is demolished" (e.g., "The building was demolished"). In Thai, verbs like "ทำลาย" do not conjugate for tense but use particles or context for time indicators, such as "จะทำลาย" for future actions.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "demolish" originates from the Latin "demoliri," meaning "to throw down," evolving through Old French "demoliss-" into Middle English around the 15th century. Historically, it was used in contexts of warfare and architecture, and in modern Thai, translations like "ทำลาย" draw from Sanskrit influences in the Thai language, reflecting cultural exchanges.

Literary References:

• From F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby": "He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him... like an over-elaborate demolishing of a structure." This illustrates metaphorical demolition of dreams, sourced from American literature.
• In Thai literature, from the novel "Four Reigns" by Kukrit Pramoj: "The old palace was demolished to make way for progress," highlighting themes of cultural change in Thai historical fiction.