อวิชชา
à-wít-chaaMeanings
1NounB2
ignorance (Buddhism)
fundamental ignorance or delusion that fails to see things as they truly are; the root cause of suffering in Buddhism and one of the twelve links of dependent origination (Pali: avijjā).
Examples
พระอาจารย์prá-aa-jaanพระอาจารย์prá-aa-jaanVenerable teacher (Buddhist monk)อธิบายà-tí-baaiอธิบายà-tí-baai[to] explain; clarifyว่าwâaว่าwâa1[to] say; tell2that (clause marker)3[to] think; consider; deem4[to] scold; reproach; criticizeอวิชชาà-wít-chaaอวิชชาà-wít-chaa1ignorance (Buddhism)2lack of knowledgeทำtamทำtam1[to] do; make2[to] act; behave3[to] cook; prepare food4[to] do; carry out (work)5[to] cause; makeให้hâiให้hâi1[to] give; provide2[to] allow; let; permit3to; for [sb] (recipient)4[to] have [sb] do; cause to5for (benefit of)6so that; in order to7until; to the point that (result)เราraoเราrao1we; us2I; me (informal/regional)ยึดติดyʉ́t-dtìtยึดติดyʉ́t-dtìt1[to] stick; adhere (to [sth])2stuck; adherent3[to] cling to; be fixated onในตัวnai-dtuuaในตัวnai-dtuua1built-in; integrated2on one’s person; carried with you3in [sb]/[sth] itself; inherentlyตนdtonตนdton1self; oneself2self (as a concept)3classifier: supernatural beings; asceticsจึงjʉngจึงjʉng1therefore; so; thus2only then; then (as a result)ไม่mâiไม่mâi1not (negator)2no (reply)เห็นhěnเห็นhěn1[to] see2[to] notice; [to] realize; [to] find (that)3[to] think; [to] be of the opinion4[to] consider; [to] regard asความจริงkwaam-jingความจริงkwaam-jing1truth; fact2actually; in fact; to tell the truthของkɔ̌ɔngของkɔ̌ɔng1of; belonging to2thing; item; stuff3property; goodsไตรลักษณ์dtrai-lákไตรลักษณ์dtrai-lákthree marks of existence
The monk explained that fundamental ignorance makes us cling to self, thus failing to see the truth of the three marks.
3 more examplesShow less
ในnaiการgaanปฏิจจสมุปบาทbpà-dtì-jòt-sà-mùp-bàatอวิชชาà-wít-chaaเป็นbpenปัจจัยbpàt-jaiแรกrɛ̂ɛkที่tîiหมุนmǔnวงจรwong-jɔɔnแห่งhɛ̀ngทุกข์túkให้hâiดำเนินต่อไปdam-nəən-dtɔ̀ɔ-bpai
In dependent origination, avijjā is the first condition that keeps the cycle of suffering going.
เมื่อmʉ̂ʉaอวิชชาà-wít-chaaยังyangครอบงำkrɔ̂ɔp-ngamจิตjìtย่อมyɔ̂mปรุงแต่งbprung-dtɛ̀ngตามdtaamความหลงkwaam-lǒngจึงjʉngเกิดgə̀ətตัณหาdtan-hǎaและlɛ́ภพชาติpóp-châatตามมาdtaam-maa
When fundamental ignorance dominates, the mind fabricates under delusion, giving rise to craving and rebirth.
การภาวนาgaan paa-wa-naaเพื่อpêuuaเห็นhĕnไตรลักษณ์dtrai-lákโดยตรงdoy dtrongเป็นbpenหนทางhŏn taangดับdàpอวิชชาà-wít-chaaและláeปลดปล่อยbplòt bplòiตนdtonจากjàakวัฏฏะwát-dtàแห่งhàengทุกข์túk
Meditation to directly see the three characteristics is the path to extinguish fundamental ignorance and free oneself from the cycle of suffering.
2NounB2
lack of knowledge
absence of knowledge or understanding; ignorance in a general sense (formal/literary).
Examples
ความผิดพลาดkwaam-pìt-plâatความผิดพลาดkwaam-pìt-plâatmistake; errorครั้งkrángครั้งkráng1time; occasion; instance2classifier for occurrences or timesนั้นnánนั้นnán1that (distal demonstrative)2that one; that thing3(topic-marking or emphatic particle)เกิดจากgə̀ət-jàakเกิดจากgə̀ət-jàak1[to] result from [sth]; be caused by [sth]; arise from [sth]2[to] be formed from; originate from; be produced byอวิชชาà-wít-chaaอวิชชาà-wít-chaa1ignorance (Buddhism)2lack of knowledgeเรื่องrʉ̂ʉangเรื่องrʉ̂ʉang1matter; issue; subject2story; tale3classifier for stories/films/cases4about; regarding (as a topic marker)กฎหมายgòt-mǎaiกฎหมายgòt-mǎai1law; statute2the law (legal system)3legal code/body of lawพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎanพื้นฐานpʉ́ʉn-tǎan1basic; fundamental2foundation; basis3background (knowledge/education)ของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎoของเขาkɔ̌ɔng-kǎohis; hers; theirs
That mistake arose from his lack of knowledge about basic law.
3 more examplesShow less
เธอtəəยอมรับyɔɔm-rápว่าwâaอวิชชาà-wít-chaaทำให้tam-hâiตัดสินใจdtàt-sǐn-jaiโดยdooiไม่mâiหาhǎaข้อมูลkɔ̂ɔ-muunให้hâiครบถ้วนkróp-tûuan
She admitted that ignorance led her to make decisions without gathering complete information.
การบริหารgaan-bɔɔ-rí-hǎanที่tîiปราศจากbpràat-sà-jàakข้อมูลkɔ̂ɔ-muunจริงjingมักmákสะท้อนsà-tɔ́ɔnอวิชชาà-wít-chaaเชิงนโยบายchəəng-ná-yoo-baaiซึ่งsʉ̂ngส่งผลเสียsòng-pǒn-sǐiaระยะยาวrá-yá-yaao
Management that lacks real data often reflects policy-level ignorance, which causes long-term harm.
ในnaiสังคมsǎng-komข้อมูลkɔ̂ɔ-muunล้นlónเกินgəənอวิชชาà-wít-chaaไม่ได้mâi-dâaiมาจากmaa-jàakการขาดแคลนgaan-kàat-klɛɛnข่าวสารkàao-sǎanแต่dtɛ̀ɛมาจากmaa-jàakการgaanไม่mâiเข้าใจkâo-jaiวิธีwí-tiiประเมินbprà-məənความน่าเชื่อถือkwaam-nâa-chʉ̂ʉa-tʉ̌ʉ
In an information-saturated society, ignorance does not come from a lack of news but from not understanding how to assess credibility.
Tones
See how the spelling sets each syllable's tone, step by step.
Why is อวิชชา said อะ-วิช-ชา?
à-wít-chaa
The tone rules below use the spoken syllables.
3 syllables · pick one to see its rule
How the tone is decided
- Consonant classMid class
- Tone markNo tone mark
- Syllable endingDead syllableA short vowel with no final consonant, so it is dead.
Mid class consonants
กจฎฏดตบปอ
Result
Low tone
à
Starts low and stays low, easing slightly down.
Mid class + No tone mark + Dead syllable → Low
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 | — | — |