ธนาคาร
tá-naa-kaan/tʰa˦˥.naː˧.kʰaːn˧/
The English word "bank" is translated into Thai as ธนาคาร (tá-naa-kaan).
ธนาคาร is a noun used to refer to a financial institution or the physical building and branches of a bank.
Meaning: institution (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a loanword from Sanskrit/Pali, where dhana means wealth and kara means maker or doer.
How do you pronounce it?
The three-syllable word is pronounced {tʰa˦˥.naː˧.kʰaːn˧}. The romanization is tá-naa-kaan.
Did you know?
- While ธนาคาร refers to the institution, the word แบงก์ is a direct loan from the English word 'bank' and is used frequently in casual conversation.
- In Thailand, the term ธนาคาร is often used in names of government agencies that aren't financial banks, such as the 'Blood Bank'.
- In many parts of Thailand, large branches of a ธนาคาร are often located inside shopping malls rather than on street corners.
Examples in context
- ฉันจะไปธนาคารI'm going to the bank.This sentence is useful for expressing the intention to go to the ธนาคาร.Tatoeba #8719770 by pastelite, translation #256982 by CK
- ธนาคารอยู่ที่ไหน?Where is the bank?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of the ธนาคาร.Tatoeba #8850915 by pastelite, translation #48623 by CK
- ทอมทำงานให้ธนาคารTom works for a bank.This sentence is useful for stating that someone works for a ธนาคาร.Tatoeba #10681119 by Somsak, translation #2871518 by Hybrid
- เธอไปธนาคารทำอะไรอยู่?What are you doing at the bank?
- ฉันไปธนาคารถอนเงินI'm going to the bank to withdraw money.
- ตอนนี้ตู้เซฟเต็มแล้ว ไปธนาคารแทนเถอะThe safe box is full now. Let's go to the bank instead.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are talking near a street corner.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitสิรินทร์ คุณเห็นธนาคารแถวนี้ไหม?Sirin khun hen thana-khan thaeo ni mai?Sirin, do you see a bank around here?
- สิรินทร์ Sirinมีธนาคารอยู่ข้างหน้าซอยค่ะMi thana-khan yu khang na soi khaThere is a bank in front of the alley.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitขอบคุณครับ ผมต้องไปทำธุระที่นั่นKhop khun khrap phom tong pai tham thura thi nanThank you, I need to go there for some business.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinเดินไปไม่ไกลเลยค่ะDoen pai mai klai loei khaIt is not far to walk at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bank” translations and entries ธนาคาร, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
