Sawatdee Kha,

Please correct me if I'm wrong. According to this clip, the gibbons say "ผัว ผัว(onomatopoeia)" cf. ผัว = husband. Hence slutty women are called gibbons because of this? If not then why are they being compared to gibbons?

Looking forward to your replies.

Actually didn't know this slang word until this post brought it to my attention. The online T-L.com dictionary says it is used by gay men to insult women. I wonder if that's accurate or if it is, in fact, used more broadly.

I would say that it is used as a put down to women because the ชะนี goes about saying "husband, husband", implying that it is looking for sex.

Actually didn't know this slang word until this post brought it to my attention. The online T-L.com dictionary says it is used by gay men to insult women. I wonder if that's accurate or if it is, in fact, used more broadly.

I would say that it is used as a put down to women because the ชะนี goes about saying "husband, husband", implying that it is looking for sex.

It may have been adopted by gays as a put down on women, however in my experience it is used by all and is not an exclusively gay term.

I usually here the ชะนี preceded by ee, its a term I have heard woman use more than men.

Yes, nalaknarak, that's exactly the reasoning behind the term.

I believe it originated amongst ladyboys as a way to refer to biological women. (This is a community where a lot of colourful Thai slang comes from.)

Then the term migrated to the gay community.

Now it could be used by anybody but still has a definite gay man's and ladyboy's vibe to it ... probably why you don't hear straight men using it so often.