ชาติพันธุ์
ethnic group
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 ethnic group、ethnic community
This word refers to a community connected by a shared culture, history, heritage, or sense of ancestry, or to a person’s belonging to such a community. It focuses on ethnic identity rather than legal nationality.
ethnic group、ethnic community
A social group whose members share a cultural background, history, language, heritage, or sense of common ancestry.
Learning notes
Explanation
ชาติพันธุ์ is a neutral, somewhat formal noun used for both an ethnic group and ethnicity. It commonly appears in news reports, education, public documents, and discussions of culture, society, and human rights. It is formed from ชาติ, associated with nation, people, or birth, and พันธุ์, associated with kind or lineage. In modern usage, however, it is best learned as a single word. กลุ่มชาติพันธุ์ refers to a specific ethnic group. In the pattern ทางชาติพันธุ์, the word functions within a phrase meaning “ethnic,” as in ความหลากหลายทางชาติพันธุ์, “ethnic diversity.”
Usage
The word is used when discussing the ethnic communities living in a country or region, minority cultures and languages, ethnic rights, population data, history, and social research. It can occur in everyday conversation, though it may sound somewhat formal when asking about an individual’s background.
Caution
Do not confuse this word with สัญชาติ, which means legal nationality. People with the same nationality may belong to different ethnic groups. Ethnic background can also be sensitive, so it should not be assumed solely from someone’s appearance or place of origin.
Differences from similar words
1 ethnic group synonyms
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เชื้อชาติ can mean race or ethnic origin and may emphasize ancestry or perceived physical traits. ชาติพันธุ์ more neutrally emphasizes shared culture, history, and membership in an ethnic community.
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เผ่า means a tribe and is often used for a particular tribal or relatively small community. ชาติพันธุ์ is broader and can refer to ethnic groups of many different kinds.