กรรม
gam/kam˧/
The Thai word for karma is กรรม (gam).
The term กรรม refers to the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of their existence. It is used in both religious Buddhist doctrine and in everyday conversation to describe the consequences of one's actions.
Meaning: the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of his existence (noun)
Which one should you use?
While กรรม is a neutral term for karma, the compound form เวรกรรม is frequently used to specifically refer to bad karma or the suffering caused by past misdeeds.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is gam. The IPA is /kam˧/.
Did you know?
- In Thai culture, seeing someone suffer a misfortune is sometimes commented on as กรรมตามทัน, which literally means 'karma has caught up'.
- The term กรรม was absorbed into Thai via Old Khmer, illustrating the historical linguistic influence of the Khmer Empire on the region.
- The spelling of กรรม includes a silent final consonant, which is a common trait for words borrowed from Sanskrit and Pali in the Thai language.
Examples in context
- เขาทำกรรมไว้เยอะkhao tham kam wai yoeHe has committed a lot of bad karma.
- ผลของกรรมมักจะตามมาเสมอphon khong kam mak cha tam ma samoeThe results of karma always follow.
- เราควรทำแต่กรรมดีrao khuan tham tae kam diWe should only perform good deeds.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a person's recent misfortunes.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitทำไมชีวิตเขาถึงลำบากแบบนี้tham-mai chi-wit khao thueng lam-bak baep niWhy is his life so difficult?
- พิมล Pimonเขาอาจจะกำลังชดใช้กรรมอยู่khao at cha kam-lang chot-chai kam yuHe might be paying for his karma.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitฉันสงสารเขาจังchan song-san khao changI really feel sorry for him.
- พิมล Pimonปล่อยให้เป็นเรื่องของกรรมเถอะploi hai pen rueang khong kam thoeJust let it be a matter of karma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “karma” translations and entries กรรม, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries กรรม, CC BY-SA 4.0.
