Gin Kaow

[nickmanchester2]

I went to the dentist today and when he looked into my mouth, he said gin kaow to his assistant - so I think that is 'eat rice' yeah? but as I had not eaten anything, I imagined that it meant that he was gonna make some money as I needed some work doing?

My bill was 1500 btw for a check up, 2 x-rays and a scale and polish - about 30 minutes and I am in Samui if that makes any difference.

[mikenyork]

If you're sure of the tones, and this is in fact what he said, my best guess would have been that he was telling his assistant to go ahead and go to lunch? Possible? I don't think I ever heard the expression "gin khao" used to mean that "this one is my meal ticket for today." If it was a first class clinic catering to farangs and upper class Thais, I don't find the prices to be remarkable--higher than in the northeast, maybe, but, as you said, you are in Samui.

[nickmanchester2]

thanks, his assistant was busy holding dental equipment inside my mouth at the time and did not leave for lunch even after I had left 30 minutes later - anyway, just thought i'd ask out of interest, did not think i was getting ripped off when I was paying.

[hiero]

sure he said กิน/gin

คาว

[bhoydy]

sure he said กิน/gin

คาว

Lol. Yeah it could have been glin kao กลิ่นคาว - stinks of fish or something bad.

[goldfinger]

I am sure, if he wanted to tell his assistant:

"Hey, another wealthy farang to ripp off"

he would have used other words.

was there any reason to do 2 x-rays?? and what was the result of it?

[hiero]

sure he said กิน/gin

คาว

Lol. Yeah it could have been glin kao กลิ่นคาว - stinks of fish or something bad.

definately กลิ่นคาว

nickmanchester2 - next time brush the old pegs before you go.

Edited June 29, 2010 by hiero

[Briggsy]

กลิ่นคาว

glin kao. An 'l' after another consonant is dropped the vast majority of the time. In this case it gives you 'gin kao'. The literal word-for-word translation is fishy smell. The more precise phrasal translation is 'bad breath'. 'Glin or gin kao' is the most common way this is expressed in Thai. เหม็นคาว 'men kao' or word-for-word '[it] stinks of stinking fish' is another common way.