List of loanwords in Thai

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The Thai language has many borrowed words from mainly Sanskrit, Tamil, Pali and some Prakrit, Khmer, Portuguese, Dutch, certain Chinese dialects and more recently, Arabic (in particular many Islamic terms) and English (in particular many scientific and technological terms). Some examples as follows:

WordRomanizationEnglish translationFrom LanguageWord
อักษรàk-sǒrnalphabetic letter, keySanskritअक्षर/akṣara อกฺษร
องุ่นa-ngùngrapePersianانگور/angur
ภาษาphaa-sălanguageSanskritभाषा/bhāṣā ภาษา
ชาchā tea Chinese
ภัยphaidangerSanskrit, Paliभय/bhaya ภย "risk, peril"
บัสbátbusEnglishbus
ไวโอลินwai-o-linviolinEnglishviolin
อพาร์ทเมนต์a-pháat-ménApartmentEnglish
เทวีthee-wiiGoddessSanskrit, Paliदेवी/devī เทวี
ฑีฆายุthii-khaa-yú"long live"Sanskritदीर्घायु/dīrghāyu ทีรฺฆายุ
ครูkhruuteacherSanskrit, Paliगुरु/guru คุรุ
เคาน์เตอร์kháu-toê/ kháu-têr"counter" or "desk"English
กบาลka-baanheadSanskrit, Paliकपाल/kapāla กปาล "skull"
คอมพิวเตอร์khom-phiw-tôe/ khom-phiw-têrcomputerEnglish
มหา-ma-hăa-greatSanskrit, Paliमहा/mahā มหา
มนุษย์ma-núthuman beingSanskritमनुष्य/manuṣya มนุษฺย
มัสยิดmát-sa-yítmosqueArabicمسجد/masjid
หมี่mìinoodlesHokkien麵 mī
นรกna-rókhellSanskrit, Paliनरक/naraka นรก
ราสเบอร์รี่ráat-ber-rîiraspberryEnglish
ราชาraa-chaakingSanskrit, Paliराजा/rājā ราชา
รสróttasteSanskrit/Paliरस/rasa รส
รูปrûppictureSanskrit, Paliरूप/rūpa รูป
สบู่sa-bùusoapPortugueseSabão
เซ็กซ์séksexEnglish
สมบูรณ์sŏm-buunperfect, completeSanskritसंपूर्ण/sampūrṇa สมฺปูรฺณ ← สํปูรฺณ (from สํ + ปูรฺณ) = complete(d) - cf. "purnama"
ศัตรูsàt-truuadversary, enemySanskritशत्रु/śatru ศตฺรุ
สิงห์sĭnglionSanskrit, Paliसिंह/singha สิํห/สึห → สิงฺห
โชเฟอร์ (dialectal)choo-fêrdriverFrenchchauffeur
สวรรค์sa-wănheavenSanskritस्वर्ग/svarga สฺวรฺค
สุขsùkhappinessSanskrit, Paliसुख/sukha สุข
สุริยาsù-rí-yaa/ sù-ri-yaasunPaliSuriya สูริยา (Sanskrit: सूर्य/sūrya สูรฺยา)
เต้าหู้tâu-hûubeancurdHokkien豆腐/tao-hu
แท็กซี่táek-sîitaxiEnglish
ทีวีthii-wiitelevisionEnglishTV
อุดรù-dornnorthSanskrit, Paliउत्तर/uttara อุตฺตร
ยีราฟyii-ráapgiraffeEnglish
ประถมpra-thǒmprimarySanskritप्रथम/prathama ปฺรถม
คชาkha-chaaelephantSanskrit, Paliगज/gaja คช
ประเทศpra-thêetcountrySanskritप्रदेश/pradeśa ปฺรเทศ
นครná-khorncitySanskrit, Paliनगर/nagara นคร
สันติsǎn-tìpeacePalisānti สานฺติ (Sanskrit: शान्ति/śānti ศานฺติ)
ชัยchaivictorySanskrit, Paliजय/jaya ชย
ภูมิphuumsoilSanskrit, Paliभूमि/bhūmi ภูมิ
วาจาwaa-jaawordsSanskrit, Paliवाचा/vācā วาจา
ภาวะphaa-wáconditionSanskrit, Paliभाव/bhāva ภาว
กษัตริย์ka-sàtkingSanskritक्षत्रिय/kṣatriya กฺษตฺริย
ภักดีphák-diiloyalSanskritभक्ति/bhakti ภกฺติ
วิจารณ์wí-jaanreviewSanskritविचार्ण/vicārna วิจารฺณ
พายุphaa-yústormSanskrit, Paliवायु/vāyu วายุ
สัตว์sàtanimalSanskritसत्व/satva สตฺว
พินาศphí-nâatdestructionSanskritविनाश/vināśa วินาศ
ภูเขาphuu-khǎumountaincompoundภู + เขา
วิหารwí-hǎantempleSanskrit, Paliविहार/vihāra วิหาร
เวลาwee-laatimeSanskrit, Paliवेला/velā เวลา
อาสาaa-sǎahope(desire)Sanskritअभिलाष/asha
กระดาษkra-dàatpaperSanskritकागद/kagada
เภตราphee-traaboatSanskritवहित्र/vahitra
อากาศaa-kàatairSanskritआकाश/ākāśa
เทศthêetoutlandishSanskritदेश/deśa
ทุกข์thúksufferingSanskritदुःख/duḥkha
โทษthôotblameSanskritदोष/doṣa
จิตรjìtdesignSanskritचित्र/citra
ทุนthunfundSanskritधन/dhana
จันทร์janmoonSanskritचन्द्र/chandra
จักรวาลjàk-kra-waanuniverseSanskritचक्रवाल/chakravala
คุณkhunyou, usefulSanskritगुण/ghuna
สตรีsa-triiwomanSanskritस्त्री/strī
อาคารaa-khaanbuildingSanskritआगार/āgāra
ปราสาทpraa-sàatcastleSanskritप्रासाद/prāsāda
นามnaamnameSanskritनाम/nama
ชีวาchii-waalivingSanskritजीव/jīva
กระจกkra-chòkmirror, glassSanskritcasaka
กรุณาka-ru-naaplease, compassionSanskritकरुण/karuṇa
พิเศษphí-sèetspecialSanskritविशेष/viśeṣa
พุทธิphút-thíintelligenceSanskritबुद्धि/buddhi
หิมะhì-másnowSanskritहिम/hima
เมฆmêekcloudSanskritमेघ/megha
ตรีศูลtrii-sǔuntridentSanskritत्रिशूल/triśūla
วิทยาwít-tha-yaascienceSanskritविद्या/vidyā = "knowledge"
สัปดาห์sàp-daaweekSanskritसप्ताह/saptāha
บริษัทbor-ri-sàtcompanySanskritपरिषद्/pariṣad
สมาคมsa-maa-khomassociationSanskritसमागम/samāgama
ชีวิตchii-wítlifeSanskritजीवित/jīvita
อาหารaa-hǎanfoodSanskritआहार/āhāra
หนองnǒngpusChinese
อ่าวǎubayChinese
อานaansaddleChinese

There are some Thai words which are transcribed into equivalent characters of Thai language e.g. format ฟอร์แมท (f-ฟ o-อ r-ร m-ม a-แ t-ต), lesbian เลสเบียน (l-ล e-เ s-ส b-บ ia-เอีย n-น) etc. These words are transcribed with rules made by the Royal Institute.

Thai also has a heavily influenced form of colloquial English spoken by some in Thailand (Tinglish). However, it's not a language used between locals, it is only used with tourists.

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