give alms
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 give alms、make a charitable donation
This means giving money, food, or other necessities without expecting anything in return, often as a Buddhist act of generosity or merit-making.
give alms、make a charitable donation
To give money, food, or other goods to monks or people in need as an act of generosity, often with a Buddhist sense of doing good.
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ไปทำทานที่วัด pay tham thaan thîi wát go to the temple to give alms ไปทำทานที่วัด details
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เขาทำทานให้คนยากจน khǎw tham thaan hây khon yâak con He gives to people in need. เขาทำทานให้คนยากจน details
Learning notes
Explanation
ทำทาน consists of ทำ (“to do”) and ทาน (“alms” or “charitable giving”). It refers to giving money, food, clothing, or other necessities without expecting repayment. The expression is closely connected with Thai Buddhist culture and often presents giving as both helping others and performing a virtuous, merit-making act. Its recipients are not limited to monks or temples; it can also describe helping poor people, orphanages, and others in need. The recipient can follow ให้, while a location can follow ที่.
Usage
It is commonly used when talking about giving at a temple or providing money, food, or goods to people and charitable institutions in need. It also appears in conversations about Buddhist practice, merit-making, and charitable acts performed on birthdays or other important occasions.
Caution
Here, ทาน means “alms” or “charitable giving.” Although the same spelling can also be a polite verb meaning “eat” or “drink,” ทำทาน does not mean “eat.” For an ordinary donation with no emphasis on Buddhist virtue or selfless giving, บริจาค may be more natural.
Differences from similar words
1 give alms synonyms
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ตักบาตร specifically means placing food in monks’ alms bowls. ทำทาน is broader and can involve giving various kinds of aid to monks or anyone in need.
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ทำบุญ broadly means making merit and can include offerings, ceremonies, and other religious acts. ทำทาน refers more specifically to merit gained through giving money, food, or goods.
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บริจาค is the general word for donating to an organization, cause, or individual and does not necessarily carry a religious meaning. ทำทาน places more emphasis on selfless giving as a virtuous act.