ห้าง
hâang/haːŋ˥˩/
The Thai word for mall is ห้าง (hâang). Wiktionary also lists ศูนย์การค้า (sǔun-gaan-káa).
Meaning: enclosed shopping centre (noun)
Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ห้าง | hâang | /haːŋ˥˩/ |
| ศูนย์การค้า | sǔun-gaan-káa | /suːn˩˩˦.kaːn˧.kʰaː˦˥/ |
The term is used to refer to an enclosed shopping centre. While the short form ห้าง is used generally for a mall, the full term ห้างสรรพสินค้า specifically refers to a department store.
What does it mean word for word?
The formal term ศูนย์การค้า is composed of ศูนย์, meaning center and การค้า, meaning commerce or trade.
Which one should you use?
ศูนย์การค้า is the formal term for a shopping center or commercial center. In contrast, ห้าง is the common, shortened colloquial term used in daily conversation to refer to a mall.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ศูนย์การค้า is the formal term for a shopping center, often used in official names or business contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is hâang.
Did you know?
- In Thailand, malls are often used as community hubs for activities unrelated to shopping, such as attending government services or paying utility bills.
- The word ห้าง is not originally Thai but was borrowed from the Teochew dialect of Chinese, specifically from the word for a shop or business establishment.
- Due to the extreme heat and humidity, Thai people often use ห้าง as a primary destination for 'window shopping' and socializing just to enjoy the air conditioning.
Examples in context
- ทอมยังอยู่ที่ห้างTom is still at the mall.This sentence shows how to use ห้าง to indicate a person's location.Tatoeba #10647695 by Somsak, translation #7733226 by CK
- เราจะไปหาเสื้อใหม่ที่ห้างWe're going to find new clothes at the mall.
- ไปเดินห้างกันไหมpai doen hang kan maiShall we go walk around the mall?
- ห้างนี้เปิดกี่โมงhang ni poet ki mongWhat time does this mall open?
Example conversation
Sirin and Witthawat are discussing their plans for the afternoon.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinวันนี้ไปห้างกันไหมwan ni pai hang kan maiShall we go to the mall today?
- วิทวัส Witthawatได้ครับ ผมอยากไปเดินdai khrap phom yak pai doenYes, I want to go walking.
- สิรินทร์ Sirinงั้นเราไปห้างแถวนี้กันngan rao pai hang thaeo ni kanThen let's go to the mall near here.
- วิทวัส Witthawatตกลงครับ ไปกันเลยtok long khrap pai kan loeiAlright, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mall” translations and entries ห้าง, ศูนย์การค้า, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ศูนย์การค้า, ห้าง, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
