Word / Spelling / Pronunciation But Different Meaning

[DavidHouston]

How about checking the meaning of the following Thai proverb?

"คนรักเท่าผืนหนัง คนชังเท่าผืนเสื่อ"

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

I hope that you don't mind coming back to this one.

Does it mean that a loving person is the quality of leather compared with a hateful person who is the quality of a mat?

or that there is more leather than grass to make mats? unlikely.

It isn't about numbers is it? Tell us how a Thai sees this please.

The book "บ่อเกิดสำนวนไทย" ("The Source of Thai Proverbs"), page 144, explains this proverb simply as "คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" "There are few people who love but many who hate."

[5tash]

"คนรักเท่าผืนหนัง คนชังเท่าผืนเสื่อ"

This phrase seems to saying "there's as many people who love as there are leather mats (few), there's as many people who hate as there are normal fabric mats (many)."

"คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" could be written as "มีผืนหนังน้อย มีผืนเสื่อมาก"

[tgeezer]

How about checking the meaning of the following Thai proverb?

"คนรักเท่าผืนหนัง คนชังเท่าผืนเสื่อ"

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

I hope that you don't mind coming back to this one.

Does it mean that a loving person is the quality of leather compared with a hateful person who is the quality of a mat?

or that there is more leather than grass to make mats? unlikely.

It isn't about numbers is it? Tell us how a Thai sees this please.

The book "บ่อเกิดสำนวนไทย" ("The Source of Thai Proverbs"), page 144, explains this proverb simply as "คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" "There are few people who love but many who hate."

Thanks David, I was trying to see if เท่า could be used to compare quality, but not in this case. I couldn't really see what ผื่นเสื่อ could be anyway, but ผื่นหนัง is a sheet of leather I suppose.

Rather a jaundiced view from the land of smiles is it not? or a lot of people sitting on the fence!

[DavidHouston]

How about checking the meaning of the following Thai proverb?

"คนรักเท่าผืนหนัง คนชังเท่าผืนเสื่อ"

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

I hope that you don't mind coming back to this one.

Does it mean that a loving person is the quality of leather compared with a hateful person who is the quality of a mat?

or that there is more leather than grass to make mats? unlikely.

It isn't about numbers is it? Tell us how a Thai sees this please.

The book "บ่อเกิดสำนวนไทย" ("The Source of Thai Proverbs"), page 144, explains this proverb simply as "คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" "There are few people who love but many who hate."

Thanks David, I was trying to see if เท่า could be used to compare quality, but not in this case. I couldn't really see what ผื่นเสื่อ could be anyway, but ผื่นหนัง is a sheet of leather I suppose.

Rather a jaundiced view from the land of smiles is it not? or a lot of people sitting on the fence!

What we all know intuitively, but sometimes do not actively consider is that language is merely one aspect of a culture. And, because language has historical antecedents, one must also look to the culture from which it springs to gain a full appreciation of the meanings and nuances of the language. Your example of the types of mats and their frequency of use in everyday Thai life is a good illustration.

Think of all the Thai proverbs you have learned and notice how many have agricultural and rural roots. Proverbs often puzzle us because our lives are no longer rural or agricultural.

Learning this wonderful language does allow us to gain insight into the current and historical cultures, if we would only take the time and make the effort to gather and internalize this knowledge.

You are well on your way down this path. Good luck.

[WalenThaiTeachers]

3 Nov 2008

Sawas dee kha Khun David and all =),

Thank you again for your comment and participation! To learn a new language involves with learning a new culture and a new way of thinking. It was nice to know that there are many people out there are interested in the Thai language. It is good that you can learn about our culture and our way of thinking at the same time. Some of these were influenced by the history.

Pleased to answer your questions about sheets of mat and leather, I guess many people think about quality of these two things for comparison as you do. But, actually it's about size comparison. Normally a sheet of leather size is smaller than a sheet of mat size. A sheet of mat is able to be created by man, but a sheet of (genuine) leather cannot be created by man. In the past, we didn't have any machine to merge sheets of leather together for making one bigger sheet of (genuine) leather. For a sheet of mat, we could do so by weaving with human hands and could make it big as big as we wanted to. And it looked as one sheet!

I find scenarios! It's not easy to have a big sheet of leather. And it's not easy to make most people (pleased) love. How do you think?

Will get back to other questions shortly… Sorry for a late reply!

Warmest Regards,

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Dear 5tash,

Thanks a lot for your thought ["คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" could be written as "มีผืนหนังน้อย มีผืนเสื่อมาก"].

It was considered as a right thought! =)

Have a great day!

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

"คนรักเท่าผืนหนัง คนชังเท่าผืนเสื่อ"

This phrase seems to saying "there's as many people who love as there are leather mats (few), there's as many people who hate as there are normal fabric mats (many)."

"คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" could be written as "มีผืนหนังน้อย มีผืนเสื่อมาก"

[tgeezer]

Dear 5tash,

Thanks a lot for your thought ["คนรักมีน้อย คนชังมีมาก" could be written as "มีผืนหนังน้อย มีผืนเสื่อมาก"].

It was considered as a right thought! =)

Have a great day!

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

This saying has turned into an idiom, to be any good a proverb has to be true, soo the book talks about quantity นี่เท่ากับนี้ 'นี้' is the question, common sense is the answer. It must have been 'dog eat dog' which was probably true in the past, the interesting cultural question is modern; is it true today? There is no answer.

I would have liked it to have been qualilative, then it would have been a universal truism and worthy of being called a proverb.

Edited November 3, 2008 by tgeezer

[WalenThaiTeachers]

5 Nov 2008

Hello folks,

Normally, a rhino means "แรด" in Thai. Caution! There are 2 meanings for this word "แรด" as below.

1. "แรด" (colloquial language) = who likes to make the first move (adj. for female), who likes to catch men (adj.)

Example: เธอแรดมาก / เธอชอบจับผู้ชายมาก = She likes to make the first move so much. / She really likes to catch men so much.

2. "แรด" = A rhino (n.)

Example: เดือนที่แล้ว ฉันไปดูแรด นกกระจอกเทศ และสิงห์โตที่แอฟริกา = I went to see rhinos, ostriches and lions in Africa last month.

Have you ever called any Thai girl "แรด" before? LOL!! Hopefully NOT (if you don't want to be hit by her)!!!!

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[WalenThaiTeachers]

This saying has turned into an idiom, to be any good a proverb has to be true, soo the book talks about quantity นี่เท่ากับนี้ 'นี้' is the question, common sense is the answer. It must have been 'dog eat dog' which was probably true in the past, the interesting cultural question is modern; is it true today? There is no answer.

I would have liked it to have been qualilative, then it would have been a universal truism and worthy of being called a proverb.

Good Morning Tgeezer!

Thank you very much for a question about 'dog eat dog'! Regarding to the meaning below, I want to share you a short story that I learnt about it directly:

Dog-eat-dog describes a world in which people fight for themselves only and will hurt other people. Example: "I have been in this business for twenty years. It's dog-eat-dog. The competition is always trying to steal your customers." --- Ref. goenglish.com

below is the story that I want to share you

I am one of a Thai teacher team. There was a teacher of Thai, having worked for our school for about 6 months. She quited the job and opened a Thai school with her foreign student. She tried to steal our students by asking their contact details from one of our teachers who's still teaching for us. Some of her friends didn't know about this and was used by her as a tool. She keeps trying to be a 'dog-eat-dog' competition with us. Once she read this story, she will realize herself.

Yes, "dog-eat-dog" is an idiom, meaning การแข่งขันกันอย่างรุนแรง (severely competition). Normally dogs bite each other during their fight and it would never eat each other. But, in Thailand, some Isarn people, especially those living in Sakonnakorn, eat dog as food. Can you believe that?

Always appreciate all people who love to learn more about the Thai language =)

Have a great day!

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[DavidHouston]

5 Nov 2008

Hello folks,

Normally, a rhino means "แรด" in Thai. Caution! There are 2 meanings for this word "แรด" as below.

1. "แรด" (colloquial language) = who likes to make the first move (adj. for female), who likes to catch men (adj.)

Example: เธอแรดมาก / เธอชอบจับผู้ชายมาก = She likes to make the first move so much. / She really likes to catch men so much.

2. "แรด" = A rhino (n.)

Example: เดือนที่แล้ว ฉันไปดูแรด นกกระจอกเทศ และสิงห์โตที่แอฟริกา = I went to see rhinos, ostriches and lions in Africa last month.

Have you ever called any Thai girl "แรด" before? LOL!! Hopefully NOT (if you don't want to be hit by her)!!!!

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

Khun Walden,

In a conversation today at a restaurant one of our Thai friends was boasting of his prowess in negotiations. He used the phrase "เสือสิงห์กระทิงแรด". I have seen in an on-line dictionary that the definition of this phrase is "wily old con men". My Thai friends used the phrase as a very meaning to negotiate with each other toe-to-toe, horn-to-horn, neither one giving in.

Please explain to us how this phrase is used in colloquial Thai speech.

Thanks.

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Khun Walden,

In a conversation today at a restaurant one of our Thai friends was boasting of his prowess in negotiations. He used the phrase "เสือสิงห์กระทิงแรด". I have seen in an on-line dictionary that the definition of this phrase is "wily old con men". My Thai friends used the phrase as a very meaning to negotiate with each other toe-to-toe, horn-to-horn, neither one giving in.

Please explain to us how this phrase is used in colloquial Thai speech.

Thanks.

Hello Khun David,

LOL my name is not Walden! I, a woman, am one of Thai teacher team at Walen School of Thai.

Yes! "เสือสิงห์กระทิงแรด" is one of Thai colloquialisms. Its meaning is negative, normally.

It means an evil, powerful (physically) group of men who always roams around or is trying to find for (female) victims.

Some Thai men might modify the word usage of "เสือสิงห์กระทิงแรด" for another positive meaning, like "powerful" group of men (but not "evil".)

Best Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Good Morning!

How was your weekend?

Did you have any guest visiting your home last weekend?

Talking about a word "guest" in Thai, do you know that it means "แขก" in Thai.

Caution: "แขก" has 2 meanings;

"แขก" = a guest (s)

"แขก" = an Indian person

As I know, in the past there were many Indian doing direct-sales.

They visited many houses for selling clothes, a mosquito net, etc.

So, it might be an origin of the word "แขก" meaning a guest.

Have a great day! =)

Educational Love,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[Golden Nugget]

Thai Teachers,

How about examples using, ก็ ? I know it can mean many, many things. Are you up to the challenge and provide us 100 variations of its use? Thanks.

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Thai Teachers,

How about examples using, ก็ ? I know it can mean many, many things. Are you up to the challenge and provide us 100 variations of its use? Thanks.

Hello Golden Nugget!

LOL I guess you hear the word "ก็" quite many times, right? Sometimes there's no meaning...

Actually it means "then"... Some Thai people says it too often for pausing and thinking

what to say next... he he he... for more information about this word, you can do a

research by obsoverting Thais' conversation and Thais' songs.... It's used pretty much.

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

[mangkorn]

Dear Thai Teachers:

Your response to Golden Nugget was wanting. It was accurate as far as it went, which is to say not very far at all.

The word has many more uses and nuance than "then," or as a pausing sound; and its placement in sentence order is often critical.

I would urge you to reconsider the original request: to provide more usage examples, with explanations of different meanings and nuance, of that all-important Thai word.

Thank you.

Edited November 15, 2008 by mangkorn

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Dear Thai Teachers:

Your response to Golden Nugget was wanting. It was accurate as far as it went, which is to say not very far at all.

The word has many more uses and nuance than "then," or as a pausing sound; and its placement in sentence order is often critical.

I would urge you to reconsider the original request: to provide more usage examples, with explanations of different meanings and nuance, of that all-important Thai word.

Thank you.

Hello Mangkorn and everyone,

How was your weekend everyone?

You had a lovely weekend, didn't you?

Welllllll....... ก็ได้ (O.K.) I collected some usages of the word "ก็" as below. While I was collecting them, I heard a colleague said ก็... he he he

ก็ + v. example: ก็ได้ = ok, ก็ไม่รู้ = have no idea, ก็ยังรัก = still love, ก็รู้ = even I know, ก็เสียใจ = feel sorry, ก็ตามใจ = it's up to you, ก็แล้วแต่ = it depends

ก็ + adj. example: ก็ดี = good then, ก็งั้น ๆ = it's so so, ก็ยังดี = still good, ก็พอ = just enough, ก็เจ็บ = then hurted

ก็ + sentence example: ก็ (เพราะ) เธอไม่รักฉัน = cuz you don't love me., ก็ฉันไม่ดีพอ = cuz I am not good enough, ก็ไม่มีประโยชน์ = There's no need...

Pleased be noted that almost 100 % of the usages are informal. Normally those usages are for speaking, lyrics, etc.

Every language has its origin, and it's waiting for us to explore its world...

See you again soon!

Best Regards,

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com

[WalenThaiTeachers]

19 Nov 2008

Hello everybody!

How are you today? Hope this message finds you well.

Today, let's see a Thai word with 2 different meanings below:.

แห้ว = n. water chestnut

Example:

ฉันใส่แห้วลงไปในสลัดผักจานโปรดของฉัน = I put some water chestnuts in my favorite salad.

แห้ว (colloquialism) = adj. disappointed, failed (in flirting, love or business agreement)

Example:

ท่านประธานไม่อนุมัติโครงการนี้ แห้วอีกแล้วงานนี้ = The president didn't approve this project. Disappointed again!

เขาจีบเธอไม่ติด แห้วอีกตามเคย = He has failed in flirting her. Failed again!

The season changes, please take care your health.

See you again next time.

Warmest Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com

[5tash]

Thai teachers, thank you for today's interesting word.

I would like to talk about the first example you gave for the word แห้ว. Referring to various dictionaries I have found some more definitions of the name.

From Lexitron:

แห้ว truffle

แห้วหมู nut grass

From the Domnern and Satienpong Thai/English CD ROM:

แห้ว water chestnut, Chinese water chestnuts

แห้วกระดาน bulrush

แห้วจีน water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis)

แห้วทรงกระเทียม water chestnut

แห้วทรงกระเทียมเล็ก needle spikerush

แห้วหมู nutgrass

From thai-language.com

แห้ว truffle sedge (Cyperaceae)

ต้นแห้ว water chestnut; water caltrop; any aquatic plant of the genus Trapa, bearing an edible, nutlike fruit, esp. T. natans

ลูกแห้ว fruit (or 'nut') of water chestnut

Thanks again for this interesting word.

[WalenThaiTeachers]

Wow! Thanks for your research, 5tash! =)

See you again soon.

Warm Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com

[WalenThaiTeachers]

24 Nov 2008

Sawasdee Farang =)

ฝรั่ง is one of the most popular Thai words.

This word has more than 1 different meanings.

You Farang men might know about this already.

But let's see more examples below:

veggies:

มันฝรั่ง = potato (s)

ผักชีฝรั่ง = parsley

หน่อไม้ฝรั่ง = a kind of bamboo shoot

fruit:

ฝรั่ง = guava (s)

foreigners (caucacians):

ฝรั่ง originated from "Français" (french) = (คน) ฝรั่งเศส

Thai people in the past couldn't say "Français" properly,

so they created a new word "ฝรั่งเศส" and this is known as

"ฝรั่ง" a short word used for calling foreigners (caucacians).

Have a great evening!

See you again soon.

Warm Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com

[WalenThaiTeachers]

28 Nov 2008

Good morning all!

Hope all you are well =)

Today let's consider a simple Thai word with its many meanings.

This word is "ขา" which is used often in Thai.

ขา = leg (s)

Eg. ขาเธอสวยมาก = Her legs are so beautiful.

ขา = section

Eg. เราใช้เวลามากกว่า 1 วัน ทั้งขาไป และขากลับ = We spent more than 1 day for both departure and return sections.

ขา = classifier of card partner(s)

Eg. = วันนี้บ่อนไพ่ของคุณมีคนเล่นไพ่กี่ขา = How many card partners at your casino today?

Have a lovely weekend!

See you again soon.

Warm Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com

Edited November 28, 2008 by WalenThaiTeachers

[WalenThaiTeachers]

8 Dec 2008

Hello everybody,

How was your weekend? Hope this message will

find you well.

Long time no hear from you... Kindly recommend us

a new Thai word with different meanings.

Normally, on this forum, our school, Walen School of Thai,

has a concept by presenting a Thai word with different meanings and its usage.

Today we also would like to offer the below word:

ขาด = torn, be ragged, worn out

eg. เขาทำกระโปรงของเธอขาด = He made her skirt torn.

ขาด = lack of, miss, have a shortage of, be deficient, be short of

eg. ลูกของเธอขาดสารอาหาร = Her kid lacks of nutrition.

เด็กที่น่าสงสารคนนั้นขาดการศึกษา = That poor girl is uneducated.

ทำไมเธอขาดสอบ = Why did you miss the examination?

เขาขาดความมั่นใจอย่างสิ้นเชิง = He has no confidence at all.

I do hope that you will not lack social skill for speaking to Thai people

in Thai more and more. Your thai will be improved for sure.

Miss you all! And see you again soon.

Warm Regards,

Your Thai Teachers

Walen School of Thai

www.thaiwalen.com