'frustrating'

[popmybubble]

I had a look on thai2english and thai-language.com and I did a search on here but couldn't find anything.

Is there a thai equivalent for the word frustrating? or a thai way to explain it?

[Damman1]

káp kông jai

That comes from searching 'frustrate' on thai2english - hope that helps

[popmybubble]

káp kông jai

That comes from searching 'frustrate' on thai2english - hope that helps

haha cheers mate, I only tried frustrating (didn't come up) and frustrated (the meanings didn't seem to match how I would explain it)

[NaiGreg]

หงุดหงิด ngùt·ngìt (feeling frustrated)

is the one I am familiar with.

[Barabbas]

Greg, I believe หงุดหงิด is more like grumpy (there is actually a topic on this forum, where it's discussed)

คับข้องใจ is more appropriate, I agree with Popmybubble here.

[mangkorn]

Greg, I believe หงุดหงิด is more like grumpy (there is actually a topic on this forum, where it's discussed)

คับข้องใจ is more appropriate, I agree with Popmybubble here.

Greg, I believe หงุดหงิด is more like grumpy (there is actually a topic on this forum, where it's discussed)

คับข้องใจ is more appropriate, I agree with Popmybubble here.

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Greg's suggestion, which may be apt, depending on what one means by "frustrated." Also, a review of the referenced old thread shows that it was about trying to find a Thai word for "grumpy," and was mostly a discussion of the nuanced meanings of the English word; one farang poster then suggested ขี้หงุดหงิด - which, while hardly being definitive, seemed to be good one, especially with the prefix ขี้ to signal an identifying (usually negative) character trait.

Yesterday, a Thai friend said she was wearing a light, wispy dress because in the brutal heat of recent days her normal attire of jeans and shirt made her feel อึดอัดและหงุดหงิด

Some translations of หงุดหงิด can be "irritated, irritable," and "annoyed," but it might also mean "frustrating/feeling frustration." In the above example, they may be fairly synonymous.

คับข้องใจ is a verb form, as in "to frustrate," but perhaps is used reflexively as well. (I consulted five dictionaries, none of which contain that compound word - but that absence doesn't make a definitive argument one way or another.)

Of course, it's also possible that a completely different Thai word not yet mentioned might be the appropriate one. Abstract concepts do not easily lend themselves to any single definitive translation that would fit every context. A native Thai speaker (or more than one) may be needed to clarify this whole question. Cheers.

[mangkorn]

In its secondary, slang usage, perhaps this old chestnut offers some utility? แห้ว

Since the OP did not explain what he means by "frustrating," it is also possible that the respondents may not be talking about the same thing...

Edited April 30, 2009 by mangkorn

[loong]

กำลังทำให้ท้อแท้

gam-lang tam hâi tór táe

What is the meaning of this? Maybe more "discouraging" than "frustrating"?

Edited April 30, 2009 by loong

[DavidHouston]

Just to round out or broaden the topic a bit, the following are quasi-synonyms shown in Lexitron or Domnern Sathienpong.

ขัดใจ – feel frustrated, annoyed, dissatisfied [Domnern Sathienpong]

คับข้องใจ [V] feel frustrated; feel constrained [Lexitron]

คับใจ [V] be discontented; be disconcerted; be embarrassed; be distressed; feel depressed [Lexitron]

คับอกคับใจ [V] be embarrassed; dissatisfied; oppressive; distressed; disconcerted [Lexitron]

ไม่สบายใจ [V] be uneasy; be worried; feel ill at ease; feel uncomfortable (mentally) [Lexitron]

คับแค้นใจ [V] be resentful; harbor feeling of anger/resentment [Lexitron]

อึดอัดใจ – feel uncomfortable, uneasy (about something or someone) [Domnern Sathienpong]

อัดอั้นใจ [V] feel utterly repressed; be frustrated; to smolder; feel utterly repressed [Lexitron]

อัดอั้นตันใจ = อัดอั้นใจ [Lexitron]

I certainly hope that these mental states do not apply to you!

[popmybubble]

By frustrating I mean like for example trying to get someone to understand something that makes sense to yourself but the other person just can not see what you mean... I would describe that feeling as being frustrated that they can't understand.

Or for example being frustrated because you want to do something but you can't because of various obstacles.

Hope that makes sense.

[loong]

Maybe in the situation when you are jumping up and down and pulling your hair out...

น่าเดือดดาล

nâa dèuat daan

Infuriating

[Fore Man]

I agree that คับข้องใจ would be the best term to display a typical Farng's frustration....as opposed to anger or showing your temper...that is the distinction that is important to a Thai. They will readily appreciate the term คับข้องใจ and perhaps you won't be type classified as a hot head.

[TPI]

หงุดหงิด ngùt·ngìt (feeling frustrated)

is the one I am familiar with.

Speaking to wife, SIL and local uni students they agree that the expression covers a lot of ground and should be sufficient for a farang?

(not intended as a put down, ok?)

[darkstar1943]

I agree that คับข้องใจ would be the best term to display a typical Farng's frustration....as opposed to anger or showing your temper...that is the distinction that is important to a Thai. They will readily appreciate the term คับข้องใจ and perhaps you won't be type classified as a hot head.

I like Newt Nit. Easy for Americans to remember too. Newt Gingrich is a nitwit. e.g. Newt nit.

[DavidHouston]

อาจารย์ นววรรณ พันธุเมธา (Ajarn Nawawan Phanthumetha) in her "คลังคำ" (Treasury of Words) or thesaurus, I think perfectly describes the OP's feeling and the cause of such feelings:

"หงุดหงิด อารมณ์ไม่ดีพร้อมที่จะโกรธ เช่น หงุดหงิดที่เขาไม่ยอมเข้าใจ"

"ngùt·ngìt - negative feelings accompanied by anger; for example, 'He was frustrated because they were unwilling to understand (him).' "

She compares this phrase to, for example, "กินรังแตน" (which Domnern Sathienpong defined as "scowling" but I can't find in Lexitron):

"กินรังแตน อารมณ์เสียโดยไม่รู้สาเหคุ เช่น เขากินรังแตนแต่เช้า"

"kin raŋ tɛɛn - a negative feeling from an unknown cause, for example, 'He has been in a bad mood since this morning.' "

How spiffy is in that the phrase means literally, "to eat a hornet's nest"!

The RID seems to have a bit of a different definition for the latter term:

กินรังแตน(สํา) ก. มีอารมณ์เสียหงุดหงิดบ่นว่าเกินกว่าเหตุ

"kin raŋ tɛɛn (idiom) v. to be in a bad mood; become frustrated or to inordinately complain (about something)."

There is the phrase, กินรังแตน, defined in part by the word "หงุดหงิด".

Edited May 3, 2009 by DavidHouston

[Cattleya]

I would say "ngud ngid".

[Barabbas]

Well, if we define "frustrating" (i.e. adverb, from "frustration") as Merriam-Webster puts it "tending to produce or characterized by frustration", then referring to "frustration" definition gives us ": the state or an instance of being frustrated b: a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs".

My professor of logic defined "frustration" as a "perception of impossibility to reach ones goal, or perform a task", might sound slightly pedestrian, but in my opinion it describes the state in question pretty well.

Then, by implication, we can differentiate "frustration" from "anger", "bad mood", "lost temper" by this implied cause i.e. "sense of unfulfillment", in this case "trying to get someone to understand something that makes sense to yourself but the other person just can not see what you mean" would definitely NOT be "หงุดหงิด", which in my opinion doesn't imply the reason of bad mood or anger etc.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Barabbas

[Neeranam]

หงุดหงิด ngùt·ngìt (feeling frustrated)

is the one I am familiar with.

I'd translate that as touchy or stressed

น่ารำคาญ -frustrating?

[Barabbas]

หงุดหงิด ngùt·ngìt (feeling frustrated)

is the one I am familiar with.

I'd translate that as touchy or stressed

น่ารำคาญ -frustrating?

This one is more like "annoying" to me.

[yoot]

Well, if we define "frustrating" (i.e. adverb, from "frustration") as Merriam-Webster puts it "tending to produce or characterized by frustration", then referring to "frustration" definition gives us ": the state or an instance of being frustrated b: a deep chronic sense or state of insecurity and dissatisfaction arising from unresolved problems or unfulfilled needs".

My professor of logic defined "frustration" as a "perception of impossibility to reach ones goal, or perform a task", might sound slightly pedestrian, but in my opinion it describes the state in question pretty well.

Then, by implication, we can differentiate "frustration" from "anger", "bad mood", "lost temper" by this implied cause i.e. "sense of unfulfillment", in this case "trying to get someone to understand something that makes sense to yourself but the other person just can not see what you mean" would definitely NOT be "หงุดหงิด", which in my opinion doesn't imply the reason of bad mood or anger etc.

If you try to get someone to understand something that makes sense to yourself but the other person just can not see what you mean, then "หงุดหงิด" is the word we use in this case.

Or for example being frustrated because you want to do something but you can't because of various obstacles.

"หงุดหงิด" can be used in this case as well.

[mangkorn]

That settles that. Thank you, Khun Yoot.

[oldsparrow]

How about:

เครียด

[Tinkelbell]

This happened to me many times. While talking Thai to someone who doesn't speak English, I always feel frustrate for not knowing the right Thai word to say to the Thai.

In my case,

อึดอัดใจ – feel uncomfortable, uneasy (about something or someone)

is best described my frustrating.