ราชา
raa-chaa/raː˧.t͡ɕʰaː˧/
The English word 'king' is translated into Thai as ราชา (raa-chaa). Wiktionary also lists กษัตริย์ (gà-sàt) and ราช (râat).
Meaning: a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ราชา | raa-chaa | /raː˧.t͡ɕʰaː˧/ |
| กษัตริย์ | gà-sàt | /ka˨˩.sat̚˨˩/ |
| ราช | râat | /raːt̚˥˩/ /raːt̚˥˩.t͡ɕʰa˦˥./ |
| ราชัน | raa-chan | /raː˧.t͡ɕʰan˧/ |
The term refers to a male of a royal family who is the supreme ruler of his nation.
Which one should you use?
ราชา is a general term for a king and is often used metaphorically, such as 'king of the jungle'. กษัตริย์ is a more formal, technical term used in political or historical contexts to refer to a monarch. ราชัน is a highly formal and poetic term for a king, often found in literature or high-register speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
กษัตริย์ and ราชัน are both formal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ราช functions as a prefix or adjective meaning 'royal' or 'of the king' when attached to other nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
raa-chaa
Did you know?
- Thai has a specialized 'Royal Language' called ราชาศัพท์ (Rachasap), where almost every common word is replaced by a different word when speaking to or about the king.
- The word กษัตริย์ comes from the Sanskrit term for the 'Kshatriya', which was the specific social class of warriors and rulers in ancient India.
- In Thailand, it is a cultural taboo to use the word ราชา or other terms for king in casual jokes or lighthearted contexts.
Examples in context
- สิงโตเป็นราชาแห่งป่าThe lion is the king of the jungle.This sentence uses ราชา to show how the word can be used to describe a lion in nature.Tatoeba #7878472 by pastelite, translation #29846 by CM
- เธอปฏิบัติต่อเขาดั่งราชาShe treated him like a king.This sentence uses ราชา to demonstrate a metaphorical comparison of how someone is treated.Tatoeba #8722738 by pastelite, translation #887469 by CK
- กษัตริย์ใช้อำนาจในทางที่ผิดThe king abused his power.This sentence uses กษัตริย์ in a political context regarding the use of power.Tatoeba #8679083 by pastelite, translation #25640 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Teerapat and Pimon are discussing a history book.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatหนังสือเล่มนี้เล่าเรื่องของราชาในอดีตNang-sue lem nee lao rueang khong racha nai a-deetThis book tells the story of a king from the past.
- พิมล Pimonเขาปกครองประเทศอย่างไรบ้างKhao pok-khrong pra-thet yang-rai bangHow did he rule the country?
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatท่านเป็นราชาที่รักประชาชนมากThan pen racha thee rak pra-cha-chon makHe was a king who loved his people very much.
- พิมล Pimonฟังดูน่าสนใจมากเลยFang doo na son-jai mak loeyThat sounds very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “king” translations and entries ราชา, กษัตริย์, ราช, ราชัน, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries กษัตริย์, ราช, ราชัน, ราชา, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
