Thai Sayings and Phrases Wanted

[bannork]

Talking about an unimpressive performance, not amounting to much, I came across this phrase yesterday

(ทำงาน)ไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย presumably the original meaning is to a vessel unworthy for the sea as โล้ is to roll as in a boat in the sea whilst พาย is to row or paddle.

[DavidHouston]

Talking about an unimpressive performance, not amounting to much, I came across this phrase yesterday

(ทำงาน)ไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย presumably the original meaning is to a vessel unworthy for the sea as โล้ is to roll as in a boat in the sea whilst พาย is to row or paddle.

Great addition; thanks. The following explanation comes from the book "ภาษาไทยวันละคำ" by กาญจนา นาคสกุล และคณะ

"ไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย" มีความมายว่า “ไม่เอาการเอางาน” “ไม่ได้เรื่องได้ราว” “ไม่เป็บหลักเป็นฐาน”

ที่มาของสำนวนนี้มาจากการโล้และพายเรือ เรือโล้เป็นเรือท้ายตัดแบบจีน พาย คือไม้สำหรับพายเรือ ทั้งคำว่า “โล้” และ “พาย” นอกจากจะใช้เป็นคำนามแล้ว ยังอาจใช้เป็นคำกรียาว่า “โล้เรือ” และ “พายเรือ” ด้วย

“ไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย” หมายถึง “โล้เรือก็ไม่เป็น” “พายเรือก็ไม่เป็น” หรือหมายถึง “จะเป็นเรือก็ไม่เป็น จะเป็นพายก็ไม่เป็น” . . . ใช้แก่การพูดการเขียนหรือการกระทำก็ได้ เช่น

พูดอะไรไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย

ประชุมไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย

ทำอะไรไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย

ซื้ออะไรไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย (ซื้อของกระจุกกระจิก ไม่เป็นชิ้นเป็นอัน)

[bannork]

Thanks for that David, a Thai friend today explained,as your article does, that โล้ is from the Chinese for rowing or paddling and in ancient times travel was nearly always by boat so if you couldn't row a boat you were useless for society!

[DavidHouston]

Thanks for that David, a Thai friend today explained,as your article does, that โล้ is from the Chinese for rowing or paddling and in ancient times travel was nearly always by boat so if you couldn't row a boat you were useless for society!

In English, of course, we have a similar metaphor but with a bit of a different meaning: "Up the creek without a paddle".

[DavidHouston]

Talking about an unimpressive performance, not amounting to much, I came across this phrase yesterday

(ทำงาน)ไม่เป็นโล้เป็นพาย presumably the original meaning is to a vessel unworthy for the sea as โล้ is to roll as in a boat in the sea whilst พาย is to row or paddle.

คุณบ้านนอกครับ

I have just seen another nautical metaphor along the same lines. From Lexitron:

ลอยลำ [ADV] absolutely; overwhelmingly

ลอยลำ [V] float; drift

ลอยลำ [V] take a large lead; hold a safe lead; have a good lead

The sentence in the newspaper is:

" 'มาร์ค 1' ลอยลำทุกประการแล้ว "

"(The government) of Abhisit is once again afloat and is holding a safe lead (in Parliament)".

What do you think?

[klons]

(I saw these at thailandqa.com)

ไม่กระติกหู 'mai gra-dtik hoo' - to not know anything about (a subject)

Literally translates as 'to not move your ears'!

งู ๆ ปลา ๆ 'ngoo ngoo bplaa bplaa' - a little bit

Lit. 'snake snake fish fish'

http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=994

[5tash]

งู ๆ ปลา ๆ 'ngoo ngoo bplaa bplaa' - a little bit

Lit. 'snake snake fish fish'

To be more precise, I think this has the meaning "for someone to know very little."

[mangkorn]

งู ๆ ปลา ๆ 'ngoo ngoo bplaa bplaa' - a little bit

Lit. 'snake snake fish fish'

To be more precise, I think this has the meaning "for someone to know very little."

It's sometimes translated as "jack of all trades, master of none." But 5tash may be closer to the mark.

[5tash]

It's sometimes translated as "jack of all trades, master of none."

รู้งู ๆ ปลา ๆ - jack of all trades, master of none.

[5tash]

Double Post.

Edited January 22, 2009 by 5tash

[desi]

I did a search so I hope this hasn't been added yet.

ฅาย ช่างมัน สนุก ไว้ ก่อน

...châang man sà-nòok wái gòn

It means 'Die no problem, have fun first'

A friend was trying out Thai on our taxi driver late one night. After giving him a beer for after he got off work, she said ฅายช่างมันสนุกไว้บอน. He opened the beer. While driving.

Edited (Thanks David)

Edited January 22, 2009 by desi

[klons]

I did a search so I hope this hasn't been added yet.

ฅาย ช่างมัน สนุก ไว้ ก่อน

...châang man sà-nòok wái gòn

It means 'Die no problem, have fun first'

A friend was trying out Thai on our taxi driver late one night. After giving him a beer for after he got off work, she said ฅายช่างมันสนุกไว้บอน. He opened the beer. While driving.

Edited (Thanks David)

Not only have fun first, but "Do something worthwhile before you die." I heard this taught on a Thai English lesson but didn't catch

the Thai part. Thinking it might be a Thai saying, I googled and it came up in a poem translation. Is this a popular translated

poem going around Thailand or a saying? This is probably on the forum already. I suspect everything has been done, but I

went through the motions of a search anyway.

Move out man! Life is fleeting by.

Do something worthwhile, before you die.

Leave behind a work sublime,

that will outlive you and time.

อันชีวิตคนเราช่างสั้นนัก

ต้องรู้จักทำประโยชน์ก่อนจะสาย

ทิ้งไว้เป็นอนุสรณ์หลังความตาย

มีความหมายคงอยู่ ตลอดไป

http://www.hi5thai.com/viewthread.php?tid=...&sid=E83zSC

[djayz]

Can anybody tell me how to write "Money can't buy happiness" (preferably in Thai script) in Thai? Thanks.

[desi]

Can anybody tell me how to write "Money can't buy happiness" (preferably in Thai script) in Thai? Thanks.

Is this correct?

เงิน ไม่ สามารถ ซื้อ ความสุข

ngern mâi săa-mâat séu kwaam sòok

Money not be able to buy happiness/pleasure.

[5tash]

I would go with: "เงินซื่อความสุขไม่ได้ - ngern sêu kwaam sòok mâi dâai

This is a literal translation, I'm sure there is probably a Thai idiom that takes on the same meaning.

[5tash]

That should be: "เงินซื้อความสุขไม่ได้". Thanks David.

[bannork]

Saw this one yesterday which means don't care about, don't give a dam_n about-ไม่อินังขังขอ

as in ผู้รับผิดชอบจะไม่อินังขังขอบ those responsible( in the situation) are not interested, don't care etc.

[5tash]

Saw this one yesterday which means don't care about, don't give a dam_n about-ไม่อินังขังขอ

as in ผู้รับผิดชอบจะไม่อินังขังขอบ those responsible( in the situation) are not interested, don't care etc.

What is the meaning of ขังขอบ in this phrase?

[bannork]

Sorry Stash, no time yet to check out ขังขอบ but I saw another useful idiom which is certainly easy to follow-

ชี้โพรงให้กระรอก point out a hollow(in a tree) to a squirrel, help someone who has broken the law.

[klons]

Due to sidewalk obstacles, I rode my bike too close to a sleeping dog. The result was it bit my ankle. A

warning nip as it only drew a little blood and I did not break out with pink blotches.

"Never trust a sleeping dog."

ช้างสาร งูเห่า ข้าเก่า เมียรัก อย่าได้ไว้ใจนัก

This link is a breakdown. No mention of a dog or sleeping, but of elephant, cobra and former wife.

http://www.thai-language.com/id/210521

There is also a category with a lot of proverbs or sayings.

http://www.thai-language.com/id/589868

[DavidHouston]

"Never trust a sleeping dog."

ช้างสาร งูเห่า ข้าเก่า เมียรัก อย่าได้ไว้ใจนัก

I think that the word "เก่า" (former) refers to one's servant; the qualifying word associated with wife is "รัก" (loving). So, literally, the proverb would be translated as "Never trust a bull elephant, a (hissing) cobra, a former servant, or a loving wife". Cynical? Yes. True? Well, I won't be the judge of that.

Interesting that the only animal deemed to be inherently dangerous and requiring no modifying qualifier is the cobra. I inserted "hissing" for the parallelism.

[mazimus]

i have a few favourites som num na,means hard luck or you get what you deserve.I always call my mate kee nee ow,cheapie charlie

[bannork]

This phrase has me puzzled ตีอกชมลม does it mean making a fuss, complaining loudly about something, ie unfair treatment whilst in fact the treatment may have been perfectly fair? 'All sound and fury signifying nothing' to quote the bard.

[starjay]

You guys would love this word when you are in Thailand.

"Ron tap teak" (ร้อน ตับ แตก) means "It's really hot."

ron = hot

tap = a liver

teak = broken

[djayz]

I was wondering if "ความรักสามารถเกิดขึ้นได้จากคำว่าเพื่อน" is a saying in Thai and if so what is the English equivalent. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[DavidHouston]

I was wondering if "ความรักสามารถเกิดขึ้นได้จากคำว่าเพื่อน" is a saying in Thai and if so what is the English equivalent. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

"Friendship oft' bloometh forth into True Love."

[djayz]

I was wondering if "ความรักสามารถเกิดขึ้นได้จากคำว่าเพื่อน" is a saying in Thai and if so what is the English equivalent. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

"Friendship oft' bloometh forth into True Love."

Thank you very much David! I much appreciate it.

[bannork]

I saw this expression the other day เออออห่อหมก to follow someone without question, blindly.

เออออ means to consent to, accept, whilst the literal meaning of่ ห่อหมก is chopped up fish or chicken steamed in a banana leaf, so guessing here, perhaps it because you're not seeing what you're buying, you're taking it purely on trust.

[Neeranam]

You guys would love this word when you are in Thailand.

"Ron tap teak" (ร้อน ตับ แตก) means "It's really hot."

ron = hot

tap = a liver

teak = broken

As in the weather?

[starjay]

You guys would love this word when you are in Thailand.

"Ron tap teak" (ร้อน ตับ แตก) means "It's really hot."

ron = hot

tap = a liver

teak = broken

As in the weather?

YES! YOU CAN SAY THIS WORD ONLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER. :-)