ทำบุญ
tam-bunMeanings
1VerbB1
[to] make merit; perform religious good deeds
to perform acts believed to generate merit in a Buddhist context, such as giving alms, donating, observing precepts, releasing animals, or participating in temple ceremonies
Examples
พรุ่งนี้prûng-níiพรุ่งนี้prûng-níi1tomorrow (the day after today)2tomorrow; on the day after todayฉันchǎnฉันchǎn1I; me2[to] eat (of Buddhist monks and novices)จะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ไปbpaiไปbpai1[to] go2away; off (directional complement/particle)3on; onward; continuously (aspect marker)4(aspect) completed; already past5too; excessivelyวัดwátวัดwát1to measure2Buddhist temple3to gauge; assessทำบุญtam-bunทำบุญtam-bun1[to] make merit; perform religious good deeds2hold a merit-making ceremonyตักบาตรdtàk-bàatตักบาตรdtàk-bàat1[to] give alms to monks2almsgiving to monks (act of)ตอนเช้าdtɔɔn-cháoตอนเช้าdtɔɔn-cháo1morning (time period)2in the morning
Tomorrow I will go to the temple to make merit by giving alms in the morning.
3 more examplesShow less
On Buddhist holy days, he makes merit by abstaining from alcohol and observing the Five Precepts.
แม่mɛ̂ɛชอบchɔ̂ɔpทำบุญtam-bunด้วยdûuaiการปล่อยgaan-bplɔ̀iปลาbplaaแล้วlɛ́ɛoอุทิศส่วนกุศลù-tít-sùuan-gù-sǒnให้hâiบรรพบุรุษban-pá-bù-rút
Mom likes to make merit by releasing fish and dedicating the merit to our ancestors.
เธอtəəเลือกทำlʉ̂ʉak-tamบุญbunโดยdooiบริจาคbɔɔ-rí-jàakเงินngənและlɛ́เวลาwee-laaให้hâiมูลนิธิวัดmuun-ní-tí-wátพร้อมทั้งprɔ́ɔm-tángนั่งสมาธิnâng-sà-maa-tíเพื่อpʉ̂ʉaเจริญภาวนาjà-rəən-paa-wá-naa
She chooses to make merit by donating money and time to the temple’s foundation and also meditating to cultivate mindfulness.
2VerbB2
hold a merit-making ceremony
to organize or host a Buddhist merit-making event (e.g., for a housewarming, birthday, memorial, or auspicious occasion)
Examples
เดือนหน้าdeuuan nâaเดือนหน้าdeuuan nâa1next month2next month (time adverbial)บ้านเราbâan raoบ้านเราbâan rao1our house; our home2our country; Thailand3our hometown; our areaจะjàจะjà1will; shall (future/intention marker)2about to; going to (near future, often w/ กำลังจะ)3will; would (in conditional results)ทำบุญขึ้นบ้านใหม่tam bun kêun bâan màiทำบุญขึ้นบ้านใหม่tam bun kêun bâan mài[to] make merit for a new home; hold a Buddhist housewarming ceremonyเชิญchernเชิญchern1[to] invite2please; go ahead (polite imperative)3please …; kindly … (formal)เพื่อนๆpêuuan pêuuanเพื่อนๆpêuuan pêuuanfriends (plural)มาmaaมาmaa1[to] come; arrive2[to] come to (a state or situation)3past/as of now aspect markerร่วมrûuamร่วมrûuam1[to] join; participate2together; jointly3joint; shared; mutualกินข้าวgin kâaoกินข้าวgin kâao1[to] have a meal; eat (general)2[to] eat rice (literal)ด้วยdûuayด้วยdûuay1with; together with2also; too; as well3by; by means of; using4because of; due to5because; since (formal/literary)6request particle; please; tooนะnáนะná1softener; friendly particle2persuasive/confirming particle3wondering particle
Next month our family will host a housewarming merit-making event; please come join us for a meal.
3 more examplesShow less
ปีที่แล้วbpee têe láewแม่mâeทำบุญtam bunวันเกิดwan gèrtที่บ้านtêe bâanเชิญchernพระpráมาmaaสวดsùuatตอนเช้าdton cháaoแล้วláeoเลี้ยงlíiangญาติๆyâat yâat
Last year my mom hosted a birthday merit-making at home, inviting monks to chant in the morning and treating the relatives.
บริษัทbɔɔ-rí-sàtเราraoตั้งใจdtâng-jaiจะjàทำบุญtam-bunครบรอบkróp-rɔ̂ɔpก่อตั้งgɔ̀ɔ-dtângโดยdooiจัดเลี้ยงjàt-líiangพระpráและlɛ́เชิญchəənคู่ค้าkûu-káaมาmaaร่วมrûuamเป็นสิริมงคลbpen-sì-rí-mong-kon
Our company plans to host a merit-making for its anniversary by offering a meal to monks and inviting business partners for auspiciousness.
ครอบครัวkrɔ̂ɔp-kruuaเขาkǎoจะjàทำบุญtam-bunครบรอบkróp-rɔ̂ɔpการจากไปgaan-jàak-bpaiของkɔ̌ɔngคุณตาkun-dtaaโดยdooiจัดพิธีjàt-pí-tiiที่บ้านtîi-bâanและlɛ́ส่งsòngสำรับsǎm-rápไปbpaiวัดwátในnaiตอนเช้าdtɔɔn-cháo
His family will host a memorial merit-making for the grandfather’s passing anniversary by holding a ceremony at home and sending food sets to the temple in the morning.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is ทำบุญ said ทัม-บุญ?
tam-bun
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
2 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classLow class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingLive syllableThe vowel ำ hides a final -ม, so it is live.
Low class consonants
คฅฆงชซฌญฑฒณทธนพฟภมยรลวฬฮ
Result
Mid tone
tam
Level, in your normal speaking voice.
Low class + No tone mark + Live syllable → Mid
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 | — | — |
Word Breakdown
ทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; make[to] do; makePart 1
+
ทำบุญtam-bunทำบุญtam-bun[to] make merit; perform religious good deeds[to] make merit; perform religious good deedsWord