Hi guys, could you please explain the word เสียดาย (sia daai)to me. My wife has explained it to me quite a few times in the past and I'm sure if I ask her again she will punch me very hard in the nose. For some reason the I keep on forgetting this word or get it mixed up with เสียใจ(sia jai). My dictionary says it means grudge but that doesn't really make much sense in the context I am hearing it. Is 'regretable' a good translation?

from thai2english.com

เสียดาย - feel sorry for the loss

[ V ] regret ;

[ V ] deplore ; bemoan ; bewail ; lament

like , i ask for a doggy bag because of เสียดาย (or i have lost my 38 karats of diamond)

See the link for the exact translation.

http://english-thai-dictionary.com/index.p...;าย

How about "pity"? I think in some cases, it means pity.

from thai2english.com

??????? - feel sorry for the loss

[ V ] regret ;

[ V ] deplore ; bemoan ; bewail ; lament

like , i ask for a doggy bag because of ??????? (or i have lost my 38 karats of diamond)

Thanks BambinA, I think 'feel sorry for the loss' is the best explanation for the context I am hearing it in. I think in the future when I hear this word I will picture a 'doggy bag'.

Thanks Katom and jeabsun for your input.

How about "pity"? I think in some cases, it means pity.

I don't think it means pity except in the case of "loss" or "waste"

... To elaborate on Bambina's examples;

I'll ask for a doggy bag because I "sia dia" wasting food. (What a pity, the food will be wasted)

Edited March 10, 200719 yr by NaiGreg

NaiGreq,

You're right. That is the meaning of sia dia I refer to. However, it can mean differently depending on the context. There are many words in Thai that it can refer to different words in English. For example, "use" and "consume", these two words do not have exactly the same meaning. For example, He "used" his computer to do his report. and We "consume" oil everyday. "Consume" is more suitable in the second sentence. However, if you want to say these two sentences in Thai, there is only one word that you can use which is "chai" (ใช้). Sia dia is the same. It can refer to different english words if the context changes.

Sai dai can also be used in the case that you miss something or opportunity to do something, not just the cases of loss or waste.

Edited March 10, 200719 yr by jeabsun