พระพุทธเจ้า
prá-pút-tá-jâao/pʰra˦˥.pʰut̚˦˥.tʰa˦˥.t͡ɕaːw˥˩/
The English phrase 'buddha' is translated into Thai as พระพุทธเจ้า (prá-pút-tá-jâao).
The term refers to an enlightened human. In a religious context, you may also encounter พระโพธิสัตว์ (Bodhisattva), which refers to a being on the path to becoming a Buddha.
Meaning: enlightened human (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word พระพุทธเจ้า is composed of the prefix พระ (phrá), which is used to denote sacredness or high status and พุทธเจ้า (pút-tá-jâao), referring to the Buddha.
Which one should you use?
While พระพุทธเจ้า refers specifically to the historical Buddha, the shortened form พุทธ (phút) is often used as a prefix or adjective to describe things related to Buddhism, such as Buddhism itself.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
พระพุทธเจ้า is the formal and respectful way to refer to the Buddha. Other formal terms include พระพุทธ to refer to the Buddha and สิทธัตถ์ to refer to the Buddha's personal name, Siddhattha.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and is romanized as prá-pút-tá-jâao.
Did you know?
- The term พระพุทธเจ้า is shared across borders, appearing in very similar forms in both Khmer and Lao.
- The word เจ้า (jâao) in พระพุทธเจ้า literally means 'lord' or 'master', a term more commonly associated with royalty or high-ranking nobility than with religious figures in other contexts.
- The prefix พระ (phrá) acts as a linguistic 'sacred seal' that can be applied to many different types of nouns to elevate them to a divine or highly respected status.
Examples in context
- พระพุทธเจ้าทรงสอนเรื่องการปล่อยวางphra phut tha chao song rueang kan ploi wangThe Buddha taught about letting go.
- เราควรศึกษาคำสอนของพระพุทธเจ้าrao khuan sueksa kham son khong phra phut tha chaoWe should study the Buddha's teachings.
- พระพุทธเจ้าทรงเป็นผู้ทรงธรรมphra phut tha chao song pen phu song thamThe Buddha is a person of righteousness.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a book about Buddhism.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitคุณอ่านหนังสือเกี่ยวกับพระพุทธเจ้าหรือยังkhun an nang su uea kap phra phut tha chao rue yangHave you read the book about the Buddha yet?
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanอ่านแล้วค่ะ เนื้อหาน่าสนใจมากan laeo kha nuea ha na son chai makI have, and the content is very interesting.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitผมชอบเรื่องประวัติของพระพุทธเจ้ามากphom chop rueang pra wat khong phra phut tha chao makI like the story of the Buddha's life very much.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanใช่ค่ะ เป็นเรื่องที่สงบและงดงามchai kha pen rueang thi sa ngop lae ngot ngamYes, it is a peaceful and beautiful story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buddha” translations and entries พระพุทธเจ้า, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries พระพุทธเจ้า, CC BY-SA 4.0.
