สกุล
lineage
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 lineage、family line、clan
- 2 type、class、group
- 3 genus [taxonomy]
This word refers to a family lineage or to a group whose members share the same origin or characteristics. It commonly appears in compounds such as นามสกุล “surname” and สกุลเงิน “currency.”
lineage、family line、clan
A family line extending through generations from shared ancestors, sometimes with an emphasis on family background or standing.
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เขาต้องการมีทายาทไว้สืบสกุล khǎw tɔ̂ŋ kaan mii thaayâat wáy sʉ̀ʉp sakun He wants an heir to carry on the family line. เขาต้องการมีทายาทไว้สืบสกุล details
type、class、group
A type or class defined by a shared origin or set of characteristics, with a more classificatory sense than an ordinary word for “kind.”
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กรุณาเลือกสกุลเงิน karunaa lʉ̂ak sakun ŋən Please select a currency. กรุณาเลือกสกุลเงิน details
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ชำระเงินได้หลายสกุล chamrá ŋən dâay lǎay sakun Payment can be made in several currencies. ชำระเงินได้หลายสกุล details
genus [taxonomy]
In biological classification, this is the rank called a genus, which groups closely related species.
Learning notes
Explanation
The central idea of สกุล is a group connected by a common origin. For people, it refers to a lineage, family line, or clan. In นามสกุล, นาม means “name,” so the compound means a name identifying one’s family line—a surname. For things, สกุล can indicate a class or group with shared origins or characteristics. The very common compound สกุลเงิน refers to a currency, such as the baht, yen, or dollar. In biological classification, it means “genus,” the rank immediately above species.
Usage
The lineage sense appears in biographies, family histories, and historical writing. In everyday life, learners most often encounter the word in ชื่อและนามสกุล “given name and surname” on forms, and in สกุลเงิน “currency” in banking, exchange, and online shopping. The genus sense occurs in school science, field guides, and descriptions of plants and animals.
Caution
Use นามสกุล, not สกุล by itself, for a person’s surname. For an ordinary family, ครอบครัว is usually appropriate, while ชนิด or ประเภท is more natural for a general “kind” or “type.” In taxonomy, do not confuse สกุล “genus” with ชนิด “species.”
Differences from similar words
1 lineage synonyms
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ตระกูล commonly refers to a particular family, clan, or prominent house. สกุล places more emphasis on descent and lineage and occurs frequently in compounds and formal writing.
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เชื้อสาย emphasizes ancestry, descent, or inherited ethnic background. สกุล can refer more broadly to the family line or clan formed through that descent.
2 type synonyms
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ชนิด is the ordinary word for a kind or variety. สกุล is more classificatory and groups things into a shared line or family.
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ประเภท is a general word for a category or type defined by a practical classification. สกุล suggests a shared origin or family-like grouping and is used in a more limited set of expressions.