ทหาร
soldier
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 soldier、military personnel、the military、armed forces
This is the basic word for a person serving in the military, and by extension it can also refer to the military or armed forces as a group.
soldier、military personnel、the military、armed forces
Refers to someone serving in the military, or collectively to soldiers or the armed forces.
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เขาเป็นทหาร khǎw pen thahǎan He is a soldier. เขาเป็นทหาร details
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ทหาร 3 คน thahǎan sǎam khon three soldiers ทหาร 3 คน details
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ส่งทหารไปชายแดน sòŋ thahǎan pay chaay dɛɛn send troops to the border ส่งทหารไปชายแดน details
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ทหารช่วยประชาชนหลังน้ำท่วม thahǎan chûay prachaachon lǎŋ náam thûam The soldiers helped residents after the flood. ทหารช่วยประชาชนหลังน้ำท่วม details
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เครื่องแบบทหาร khrʉ̂aŋbɛ̀ɛp thahǎan military uniform เครื่องแบบทหาร details
Learning notes
Explanation
ทหาร is a common everyday and news word. For individual soldiers, คน is the usual classifier; นาย can appear in more official or rank-conscious contexts. For groups or units, classifiers such as กอง may be used. Depending on context, it can mean an individual soldier, military personnel, or the military as an institution.
Usage
It is used when talking about jobs, military service, conscription, the armed forces, border security, disaster relief, political news, war, and history. In personal contexts it may describe someone’s occupation; in news it often refers to troops or the military as an institution.
Caution
Do not confuse it with ตำรวจ, “police.” Since ทหาร can refer to either individual soldiers or the military as an institution, the exact meaning depends on context. It can also be a sensitive word in political contexts, especially when discussing coups or military power.
Differences from similar words
1 soldier synonyms
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กองทัพ refers more specifically to the armed forces as an organization. ทหาร can mean an individual soldier or the military as a group.
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นักรบ means a warrior or fighter and is common in historical, narrative, or figurative contexts. ทหาร is the ordinary word for someone serving in a modern military.