ตักบาตร

Explanation

ตัก means “scoop” or “serve,” and บาตร is a monk’s alms bowl. The expression evokes scooping rice into the bowl, but it refers to the entire act of offering food, whether or not anything is actually scooped. Although it describes a Buddhist practice, it is common in everyday conversation. ไปตักบาตร means “go offer food to monks,” and การตักบาตร is the noun form for the activity.

Usage

You will hear this when people discuss offering food to monks outside their homes or along the street in the morning. It also appears in plans for birthdays, New Year celebrations, Buddhist holidays, and organized offerings at schools, workplaces, or community events.

Caution

The subject is the person giving the food. A monk going on alms rounds is described with บิณฑบาต. Keep the giver’s action and the monk’s action distinct. ตักบาตร is not normally used for placing offerings before a Buddha image or distributing meals to the general public.

1 offer food to Buddhist monks synonyms

• ทำบุญ

  tham bun make merit

  ทำบุญ means “make merit” and covers a range of Buddhist practices, including donations and offerings. ตักบาตร refers specifically to offering food in monks’ alms bowls.

• ใส่บาตร

  ใส่บาตร also means placing food offerings in monks’ alms bowls and is generally interchangeable with ตักบาตร. Although ใส่ means “put in” and ตัก means “scoop,” both expressions refer to the whole act of offering food.