ถุงยางอนามัย
tǔng-yaang-à-naa-mai/tʰuŋ˩˩˦.jaːŋ˧.ʔa˨˩.naː˧.maj˧/
The Thai word for condoms is ถุงยางอนามัย, read tǔng-yaang-à-naa-mai.
This is the standard word you will see on packets and hear in pharmacies and convenience stores. In everyday speech people often shorten it to ถุงยาง.
What does it mean word for word?
ถุง means bag, ยาง means rubber and อนามัย means hygiene, so the word is literally a rubber hygiene bag.
How does it change in a sentence?
Thai nouns do not change for the plural, so the same word covers one condom or many.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has five syllables, tǔng-yaang-à-naa-mai. The first syllable has a rising tone, the third a low tone and the rest a mid tone, as the IPA /tʰuŋ˩˩˦.jaːŋ˧.ʔa˨˩.naː˧.maj˧/ shows. The first sound is a breathy t.
Did you know?
- The term อนามัย in ถุงยางอนามัย is a loanword from Pali and Sanskrit, languages that in Thailand are traditionally reserved for royal decrees and Buddhist scripture.
- In Thai culture, it is common to see condoms sold in small, brightly lit kiosks or convenience stores without any discreet packaging, making them highly visible compared to some Western pharmacies.
- In casual Thai slang, people may refer to condoms as ถุง ('bags'), omitting the word for rubber entirely without losing the meaning.
Examples in context
- ฉันซื้อถุงยางอนามัยที่ร้านสะดวกซื้อchan sue thung-yang-on-a-mai thi ran sa-duak-sueI bought condoms at the convenience store.
- ถุงยางอนามัยวางอยู่บนชั้นวางของthung-yang-on-a-mai wang yu bon chan wang khongThe condoms are on the shelf.
- อย่าลืมพกถุงยางอนามัยไปด้วยนะya luem phok thung-yang-on-a-mai pai duai naDon't forget to bring condoms along.
Example conversation
A couple is discussing safe sex before intimacy.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritพิมล คุณมีถุงยางอนามัยไหมPhimon khun mi thung yang a-na-mai maiPhimon, do you have condoms?
- พิมล Pimonไม่มีเลยค่ะ ธนกฤตมีไหมคะmai mi loei kha Thanakrit mi mai khaI don't have any. Do you have any, Thanakrit?
- ธนกฤต Thanakritผมไม่มี เดี๋ยวผมออกไปซื้อถุงยางอนามัยให้phom mai mi diao phom ok pai sue thung yang a-na-mai haiI don't have any. I'll go out and buy condoms for us.
- พิมล Pimonขอบคุณค่ะ ฝากซื้อด้วยนะkhop khun kha fak sue duay naThank you. Please buy them for me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ถุงยางอนามัย, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ถุงยางอนามัย, CC BY-SA 4.0.
