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Thai

บูชา

Pronunciation

buuchaa

บูชา

buuchaa

worship

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  1. 1 worship
  2. 2 revere、idolize
  3. 3 acquire (a Buddhist image or sacred amulet)

บูชา expresses worship or deep reverence toward a deity, person, or ideal. It also refers to acquiring a sacred image or amulet for a payment or donation.

2

revere、idolize

Verb⭐️2 Not often used

To hold someone or something in exceptionally high regard, sometimes to the point of idolizing them.

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3

acquire (a Buddhist image or sacred amulet)

Verb⭐️2 Not often used Buddhism

To acquire a Buddhist image or sacred amulet for a payment or donation, using language that acknowledges its sacred status.

Learning notes

Explanation

The usual pattern is บูชา followed by the object of devotion: บูชาพระ means to worship the Buddha, and บูชาเทพเจ้า means to worship a deity. Offerings may be involved, but the verb does not inherently mean to make a sacrifice. Applied to a person, it expresses profound reverence. With an object such as money, as in บูชาเงิน, it can criticize someone for treating that thing as supremely important. In transactions involving sacred images and amulets, บูชา means to acquire the item. References to prices or availability distinguish this use from worship.

Usage

Common contexts include worship at temples or home altars, offerings to deities, and expressions of deep reverence for teachers or other admired people. At temples and amulet shops, it also appears in conversations about acquiring sacred items and their prices.

Caution

Although เช่า usually means “rent,” เช่าบูชา normally refers to acquiring a sacred item without an expectation of returning it.

Differences from similar words

1 worship synonyms

  • สักการะ is a formal term for paying homage to sacred beings or revered people. บูชา also describes worship and is natural when discussing everyday religious devotion.

  • ไหว้ refers to a palms-together gesture used in greetings and acts of respect. บูชา describes worship and devotion, rather than a particular gesture.

2 revere synonyms

  • นับถือ means to respect a person or follow a religion. บูชา emphasizes profound reverence toward a particular object of devotion.

  • เคารพ means to respect someone or to respect things such as rules and rights. บูชา conveys much stronger reverence, approaching worship.

3 acquire (a Buddhist image or sacred amulet) synonyms

  • ซื้อ is the ordinary word for buying. บูชา is used for acquiring sacred images and amulets, treating the transaction as the acquisition of an object of devotion.

Component words

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