ขอบคุณ
kɔ̀ɔp-kun/kʰɔːp̚˨˩.kʰun˧/
In Thai, 'thank you' is said as ขอบคุณ (kɔ̀ɔp-kun).
ขอบคุณ is the standard expression of gratitude. You can intensify your gratitude by adding มาก (maak), meaning 'much' or 'very', after the phrase to say 'thank you very much'.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word contains ขอบ (khɔ̀ɔp), which literally means 'edge' or 'rim', though in this context it functions as a component of the verb 'to thank'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ค่ะ (kha) at the end of a phrase is used by females to indicate politeness.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is kɔ̀ɔp-kun.
When do people say it?
In Thai culture, it is common to use ขอบคุณ with a slight bow or a 'wai', which is a gesture of bringing your palms together in a prayer-like position to show respect.
Did you know?
- When performing a 'wai' while saying ขอบคุณ, the height of your hands matters. To show the highest respect, your palms should reach your nose or forehead, not just your chest.
- The word คุณ in ขอบคุณ is also the standard polite second-person pronoun for 'you' in Thai.
- If you are a man, you should replace the feminine ค่ะ (kha) with ครับ (khrap) to say 'thank you' politely. A man saying ขอบคุณค่ะ would sound very unusual to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- ขอบคุณThank you.This example shows the standalone phrase ขอบคุณ.Tatoeba #499081 by ojiisan, translation #1876041 by Asma
- ขอบคุณที่เข้าใจThank you for understanding.This example shows how to use ขอบคุณ when thanking someone for understanding.Tatoeba #8692214 by pastelite, translation #2643710 by CK
- ฉันอยากพูดว่าขอบคุณI want to thank you.This example shows the use of ขอบคุณ in the context of wanting to express gratitude.Tatoeba #11756038 by superteenkai, translation #2011497 by CK
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman is thanking a man for bringing her some water.
- พิมล Pimonขอบคุณสำหรับน้ำนะคะkhop khun samrap nam na khaThank you for the water.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritไม่เป็นไรครับmai pen rai khrapYou're welcome.
- พิมล Pimonขอบคุณมากจริงๆ ค่ะkhop khun mak ching ching khaThank you so much, really.
- ธนกฤต Thanakritยินดีครับyin di khrapMy pleasure.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries ขอบคุณ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
