legitimacy
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 legitimacy、justification、righteousness
This noun refers to legitimacy or moral justification: the idea that something has a proper legal, social, or ethical basis to be accepted.
legitimacy、justification、righteousness
It describes the legitimate or morally justified basis that makes a government, decision, action, demand, or system acceptable.
-
รัฐบาลต้องมีความชอบธรรม rátthabaan tɔ̂ŋ mii khwaam chɔ̂ɔptham A government must have legitimacy. รัฐบาลต้องมีความชอบธรรม details
Show more (2)
-
การกระทำของเขาไม่มีความชอบธรรม kaan kratham khɔ̌ɔŋ khǎw mây mii khwaam chɔ̂ɔptham His action has no justification. การกระทำของเขาไม่มีความชอบธรรม details
-
ประชาชนเรียกร้องความชอบธรรม pràchaachon rîak rɔ́ɔŋ khwaam chɔ̂ɔptham The people are demanding justice and legitimacy. ประชาชนเรียกร้องความชอบธรรม details
Learning notes
Explanation
ความชอบธรรม is formed from ความ, which makes an abstract noun, and ชอบธรรม, meaning legitimate, just, or morally proper. Even though it contains ชอบ, it is not about liking or preference. The word is fairly formal and common in news, politics, law, administration, and social movements. Common patterns include มีความชอบธรรม “to have legitimacy,” ไม่มีความชอบธรรม “to have no legitimacy,” ขาดความชอบธรรม “to lack legitimacy,” and สร้างความชอบธรรม “to create or provide legitimacy.”
Usage
It is used when discussing whether a government, election, law, court decision, policy, protest, punishment, or rights claim is socially, legally, or morally acceptable.
Caution
Do not use it for ordinary correctness, such as saying an answer is correct; ถูกต้อง is more natural there. Also, do not confuse it with ความชอบ, which means preference or liking.
Differences from similar words
1 legitimacy synonyms
-
ความถูกต้อง means correctness or accuracy and is used broadly for answers, information, and procedures. ความชอบธรรม is more formal and concerns legal, social, or moral legitimacy.
-
ความยุติธรรม means fairness or justice, focusing on whether people are treated fairly. ความชอบธรรม focuses on whether an authority, decision, or action has a valid basis for being accepted.