Whats The Correct Respectful Term For "thais Of Chinese Descent"

[Roy Jing]

Why don’t a few members(if you’re curious) on this forum go and ask their thai wife on the meaning of the word “nai haang” and report back? Just to prove my point that the word refers to/or describes a person with considerable wealth (med-old age men) in general, doesn’t matter which decent.

I just asked my wife about the meaning of "nai haang" and she said that she has only ever heard it refering to Thais of Indian decent, never Chinese. She also said that she comes from southern Thailand and that it could be possible that people from other parts of Thailand do use this term for Thai/Chinese.

Down south she would use the words "Nai Hua" for elderly Thai/Chinese business people.

Roy

[Roy Jing]

Just been informed by the wife that the term " nai hua" is not only used for elderly Thai/Chinese wealthy business people but can also be used for Thai people in certain circumstances.

Roy

[mpdkorat]

Just been informed by the wife that the term " nai hua" is not only used for elderly Thai/Chinese wealthy business people but can also be used for Thai people in certain circumstances.

Roy

I have also heard Phla Hua used

[steveromagnino]

Just been informed by the wife that the term " nai hua" is not only used for elderly Thai/Chinese wealthy business people but can also be used for Thai people in certain circumstances.

Roy

I have also heard Phla Hua used

usually I refer to my older Chinese relatives as:

ai - pern hua

:-)

[teacup]

Why don’t a few members(if you’re curious) on this forum go and ask their thai wife on the meaning of the word “nai haang” and report back? Just to prove my point that the word refers to/or describes a person with considerable wealth (med-old age men) in general, doesn’t matter which decent.

"I just asked my wife about the meaning of "nai haang" and she said that she has only ever heard it refering to Thais of Indian decent, never Chinese. She also said that she comes from southern Thailand and that it could be possible that people from other parts of Thailand do use this term for Thai/Chinese.

Down south she would use the words "Nai Hua" for elderly Thai/Chinese business people."

May be it could very well be just as your wife said. As people migrate to diff part of the country they tend to bring along with them not only their possessions, but also their distinct cruisine, culture, and certain words/vocab.

We only live in Bangkok and nowhere else all our life and our family has been here for…..

at least a few generations - from my thai-chinese father’s side – in Thonburi area,

and as for my thai- thai mother’s side – Bangkapi area - well they have been here forever and is still to this day glue to the very same spot of land since the beginning of time when there’re nothing else beside us except miles & miles of the rice fields and clean canal with many wooden boats. My friends used to come over during the midterm vacation and together like to spend many countless hours rowing our boat up & down along the canal to the nearby temple & many plenty nearby water lily fields all the times. Well to this day I still miss those old times of good and simple vacation days activities.

Anyway back to the topic, I neither know anything about the thai-indian community here, nor have any Indian friends, so I wouldn’t know about whatever the words they may be using, and we’re not doing business with many Indians and we’re also not in the textile business, we’re in the financial & trust business only. The only Indian that I know of, he’s the security guard/ gate watcher for our Phaholyothin office , and I don’t even know his name except that I and my brothers always call him as “ar-bang” and I know he doesn’t have a lot of money, doesn't talk much, and was living at the premise ground

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"Just been informed by the wife that the term " nai hua" is not only used for elderly Thai/Chinese wealthy business people but can also be used for Thai people in certain circumstances."

Well I’m afraid I’ve never heard the word “nai hua” being used around my family before, only the word “hua nai” around our office which means something like…..a manager/or boss (and this would be for my 2 brothers). So I will just have to take your wife word for the meaning of “nai hua”.

Heck there’re so many thai words/vocab to learn/remember while growing up both in and out of school, so couldn’t remember them all if you don’t use them everyday, and btw I never hit the high score in any of my thai language class also

Edited April 19, 2007 by teacup

[steveromagnino]

Also, on my mum's side, sometimes i meet Chinese relatives who claim I will be:

jeen dtur

if i keep asking them about how to refer to them :-)

[soundman]

Also, on my mum's side, sometimes i meet Chinese relatives who claim I will be:

jeen dtur

if i keep asking them about how to refer to them :-)

I keep hearing that "dtur" word used around the house, & although I've never really been given a translation for it, I have taken it to mean "that's the answer & I don't want to hear any more on the subject!!".

Cheers,

Soundman.

[steveromagnino]

Also, on my mum's side, sometimes i meet Chinese relatives who claim I will be:

jeen dtur

if i keep asking them about how to refer to them :-)

I keep hearing that "dtur" word used around the house, & although I've never really been given a translation for it, I have taken it to mean "that's the answer & I don't want to hear any more on the subject!!".

I think you will find that explaining to someone that they are going to be Jeen dtur in future will have a different result :-)

dtor dtao not tor taharn na K. Soundman :-)

[adad]

you want to be really accurate?

male [elder] - hia

female [elder] - jay

male [junior] - dti

female [junior] muay

mostly used in family context but hia and jay is very commonly used when addressing

the chinese.

[steveromagnino]

you want to be really accurate?

male [elder] - hia

female [elder] - jay

male [junior] - dti

female [junior] muay

mostly used in family context but hia and jay is very commonly used when addressing

the chinese.

Dti and muay are more for teenagers/twenties and younger no matter what the age of the person talking.

for elders, I would propose we need to expand to include:

ah gong

ah goo

ah jek

ah hia (wide range)

ah laoh ma

ah ma

ah sim

ah eum

ah ee (wide range)

etc etc

Hia and J are similar to Pee; ok to use most of the time, but better to get the approx age and use the right age identifier if possible; e.g. Ah goo Paiboon from Grammy; everyone knows his approx age and so he is ah goo.

Edited April 19, 2007 by steveromagnino

[soundman]

Also, on my mum's side, sometimes i meet Chinese relatives who claim I will be:

jeen dtur

if i keep asking them about how to refer to them :-)

I keep hearing that "dtur" word used around the house, & although I've never really been given a translation for it, I have taken it to mean "that's the answer & I don't want to hear any more on the subject!!".

I think you will find that explaining to someone that they are going to be Jeen dtur in future will have a different result :-)

dtor dtao not tor taharn na K. Soundman :-)

Yeah, that's the correct one I've been hearing K. Steve (ต), however, the "dtur" I've been hearing seems like a comment spoken in finality to the subject at hand.

Maybe you can have a fishing expedition for me on that one, wifes not in & I've never bothered to buy an electronic dictionary.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[soundman]

you want to be really accurate?

male [elder] - hia

female [elder] - jay

male [junior] - dti

female [junior] muay

mostly used in family context but hia and jay is very commonly used when addressing

the chinese.

Just make sure you don't say "ai hia". With falang prononciation and all you'll probably get shot!!!

Soundman.