โบสถ์
Buddhist ordination hall
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- 1 Buddhist ordination hall
- 2 church (building)
This word refers to a religious building, usually a Buddhist ordination hall or a Christian church.
Buddhist ordination hall
A hall within a Buddhist temple complex where monks conduct ordinations and other formal communal ceremonies.
church (building)
A Christian church building where people gather for worship and prayer.
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เขาไปโบสถ์ทุกวันอาทิตย์ khǎw pay bòot thúk wan aathít He goes to church every Sunday. เขาไปโบสถ์ทุกวันอาทิตย์ details
Learning notes
Explanation
In a Buddhist temple, โบสถ์ is the hall set within a designated ritual boundary for ordinations and formal monastic ceremonies. Its function defines it; it is not simply the largest building in the complex. Context tells you whether the word refers to a Buddhist hall or a Christian church. โบสถ์คริสต์ makes the Christian meaning explicit. When counting these buildings, you can use the classifier หลัง: โบสถ์สองหลัง means two ordination halls or two church buildings.
Usage
Use it when discussing the location or architecture of a temple's ordination hall, or where an ordination takes place. In Christian contexts, it is common when talking about attending church on Sundays or holding a church wedding.
Caution
For a general visit to a Buddhist temple, use ไปวัด. Using ไปโบสถ์ instead suggests going specifically to the ordination hall, or may be understood as going to a Christian church.
Differences from similar words
1 Buddhist ordination hall synonyms
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วัด refers to the temple as a whole, including its grounds and buildings. โบสถ์ refers to a particular hall within it.
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วิหาร is a hall housing Buddha images for worship. โบสถ์ has a distinct ceremonial role as the hall used for ordinations and other formal monastic proceedings.
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อุโบสถ is the more formal term for the same hall, often used in temple signs and descriptions. โบสถ์ is common in everyday speech.
2 church (building) synonyms
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คริสตจักร refers to a church as a congregation or institution and appears in church names. โบสถ์ primarily refers to the building used for worship.