How to Say "Ocean" in Thai - How To Say Guide

มหาสมุทร

má-hǎa-sà-mùt/ma˦˥.haː˩˩˦.sa˨˩.mut̚˨˩/

The Thai word for ocean is มหาสมุทร (má-hǎa-sà-mùt).

มหาสมุทร is used to refer specifically to one of the large bodies of water.

Meaning: one of the large bodies of water (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of มหา (great) and สมุทร (ocean/sea).

While มหาสมุทร refers specifically to an ocean, ทะเล is the more common word used for the sea or general large bodies of saltwater.

The pronunciation is má-hǎa-sà-mùt. It consists of 4 syllables.

In Thai, the term มหา used in มหาสมุทร is a common prefix for anything 'great' or 'grand', appearing in words for university มหาวิทยาลัย and university-level knowledge.
In Thai literature and high-register poetry, มหาสมุทร is often used as a metaphor for a vast, overwhelming collection of something, such as a 'great ocean of knowledge'.
The word มหาสมุทร is borrowed from Sanskrit, meaning it is a loanword from an ancient language of India rather than a native Thai word.

เราชอบว่ายน้ำในมหาสมุทร
We like swimming in the ocean.
This sentence shows how to use มหาสมุทร when expressing a preference for swimming in the ocean.
Tatoeba #8673128 by pastelite, translation #262928 by CK
เราจะไปทะเลไหนในวันหยุด
Which beach are we going to on our day off?
ฉันรักทะเล
I love the ocean
ทะเลมีสัตว์น้ำน่ารักมาก
The ocean has adorable marine creatures
มหาสมุทรมีขนาดใหญ่มาก
ma-ha-samut mi khanat yai mak
The ocean is very large.
น้ำในมหาสมุทรเป็นสีฟ้า
nam nai ma-ha-samut pen si fa
The water in the ocean is blue.

Two friends are looking at a map of the world.

ณิชา Nicha

มหาสมุทรแปซิฟิกกว้างมากเลยนะ
ma-ha-samut pa-si-fik kwang mak loei na
The Pacific Ocean is really wide.
ธนกฤต Thanakrit

ใช่ครับ มันดูใหญ่มาก
chai khrap man du yai mak
Yes, it looks very large.
ณิชา Nicha

คุณอยากไปเที่ยวทะเลไหม
khun yak pai thiao tha-le mai
Do you want to go to the sea?
ธนกฤต Thanakrit

ไปครับ ผมอยากไป
pai khrap phom yak pai
Yes, I want to go.

Sources

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