Thai Sayings and Phrases Wanted

[bannork]

Snowleopard,

As you say, one dresses 'accordingly' because one knows the context or what has been said, but it's the same for 'appropriately'. For example, when foreigners go to The Grand Palace they're told to dress 'appropriately', in other words, respect the Thai cultural norms, remember the context one is in. Like 'accordingly' you can't dress 'appropriately' if you don't know the conditions, context,etc.

This leads me to the useful idiom,' splitting hairs'. do you know the Thai equivalent?

Yours,

bannork.

[RDN]

Gentlemen,please! Let's not degenerate to the level of many sites where senseless invective hurtles back and forth...

Hear, hear!

[snowleopard]

Snowleopard,

As you say, one dresses 'accordingly' because one knows the context or what has been said, but it's the same for 'appropriately'. For example, when foreigners go to The Grand Palace they're told to dress 'appropriately', in other words, respect the Thai cultural norms, remember the context one is in. Like 'accordingly' you can't dress 'appropriately' if you don't know the conditions, context,etc.

This leads me to the useful idiom,' splitting hairs'. do you know the Thai equivalent?

Yours,

bannork.

As you say, one dresses 'accordingly' because one knows the context or what has been said, but it's the same for 'appropriately'. For example, when foreigners go to The Grand Palace they're told to dress 'appropriately'

Hi Bannork,

If for some reason you were told to dress "inappropriately"by an authority which you respect,then you should dress "accordingly",shouldn't you?

(e.g civil disobedience)

They aren't real synonyms but I get your point,Bannork.

Then again,I was referring to the other definition.

Cheers.

Snowleopard

[snowleopard]

Yes... if that is it, it's hard to get the exact 'flavour'

Who uses words like ''accordingly' and 'therefore' anyway? I don't...they look ugly, and I try to avoid them.

make it less formal, add words to give a sassy or spiky emphasis (if that's what we want).

If it is a sassy, throwaway tone we want, we could add particles and speech inflections

And if the tone is as sassy as I suggest

...but to get the full flavour

Yes... if that is it, it's hard to get the exact 'flavour'

ขอถามดูหน่อย "sassy" หมายความว่าอะไร

Vad hände,Sötbullen? Blev du bort-dribblad utav fikusen?

[bannork]

Snowleopard,

'sassy' used to mean cheeky, as in a girl or young woman being a little naughty or forward, lowcut bras, hotpants,' shaking her booty' as the late great guitarist Freddie King used to say, and/ or mouthing phrases unsuitable for one of such tender years; however in recent times it has come to mean lively or spicy in the sense of giving an individual touch to something, making something intrinsically dull, interesting.

Richard Branson, the owner of 'Virgin' could be a male equivalent of 'sassy'. Am I stretching the definition too far?

bannork.

[Boon Mee]

Snowleopard,

'sassy' used to mean cheeky, as in a girl or young woman being a little naughty or forward, lowcut bras, hotpants,' shaking her booty' as the late great guitarist Freddie King used to say, and/ or mouthing phrases unsuitable for one of such tender years; however in recent times it has come to mean lively or spicy in the  sense of giving an individual touch to something, making something intrinsically dull, interesting.

Richard Branson, the owner of 'Virgin'  could be  a male equivalent of 'sassy'. Am I stretching the definition too far?

bannork.

Sounds on the mark to me, bannork. Although it's a somewhat outdated word these days and the term "wise ass" is more common & applied to females as well as males.

Depending on the lack of societal constraints etc.

บุณมี

[meadish_sweetball]

'Sassy' in the sense I think is meant here is very close to the definition you give, bannork. Basically, cheeky would do.

Quoting Neil Young, rock's grand old man:

'I sassed back at my mom

I sassed back at the teacher

I got thrown out of bible school

for sassing back at the preacher'

- Crime in the City

That quote I suppose should provide the flavour of 'sassy' - 'cheeky' essentially.

I am still not sure where you got this sentence from, Snöis, but I think it might help if we are to interpret it correctly.

Not up for starting a flamewar, but still maintaining that you made a couple of misassumptioms about the sentence - basically the mistakes I mentioned in my last post; and I see nothing wrong with that. None of us are perfect, least of all me, and to translate and interpret Thai is not the easiest of tasks.

The forum, ideally, should be a place where we can all get better by sharing the knowledge each of us has, be it snippets, puddles or oceans...

[RDN]

How about: เซา เว้า (sao wao) - stop talking

and..........: หุบ ปาก (hup pak) - close [your] mouth

Under what circumstances should either be used? Or never?

[meadish_sweetball]

How about: เซา เว้า (sao wao) - stop talking

and..........: หุบ ปาก (hup pak) - close [your] mouth

Under what circumstances should either be used? Or never?

Basically, never with a stranger unless you're looking for trouble, I suppose.

Jokingly with close friends, I see no problem using it...

As for the Isaan expression, I don't know - but I would guess it's similar. Although Isaan culture seems to be more rustic and lack the obsession of the Siamese of speaking "polite" all the time, most of them would probably expect a foreigner to be more polite than themselves... at least they do here in the North.

[snowleopard]

craftwork+meadish_sweetball

If it is a sassy, throwaway tone we want, we could add particles and speech inflections

And if the tone is as sassy as I suggest

...but to get the full flavour

Yes... if that is it, it's hard to get the exact 'flavour'

I sassed back at my mom

Don't go around kidding yourself re the definition of "sassy" anymore,Sugar-glob!

Here it is....

"Sassy"is a variation of "saucy",and this colloquial expression means:impudent;saucy;rude;impertinent;insolent etc.!

Was it really this "saucy" flavour that you and your "sassy" mate C.W. were so eagerly craving to savour?

Here you can ingest the saucy icing on the cake by savoring some "sassy" Thai counterparts...

1.ทะลึ่ง "tah-leung"

2.หยาบคาย "yaap kaai"

3.ไร้มารยาท "rai maa-ra-yaat"

4.จองหอง "jong hong"

Snowleopard.

[bannork]

Snowleopard,

I'm afraid I've developed a spot of indigestion after savouring a piece of your latest offering for some of your Thai counterparts contain ingredients that really can't be included in the same dish, for example:

จองหอง doesn't mean sassy,it means arrogant, conceited, too much self confidence, a big ego, as certain so-called VIPs possess.

หยาบคาย is more like crude, coarse or vulgar, ie ' as a country boy my humour was too coarse for the refined circles of Bangkok's hi-so'.

ไร้มารยาท means lacking manners or illmannered, I've often heard it used when a customer or consumer is complaining about the poor quality service he or she has received and the official responsible has shown no sense of respect or decorum.

ทลึ่ง is definitely the best word for cheeky and can be applied to a good percentage of Bangkok youth.

Happy eating,

yours,

bannork.

[lovetochat]

[Personal contact message deleted. Wrong thread. /Meadish]

[snowleopard]

Snowleopard,

I'm afraid I've developed a spot of indigestion after savouring a piece of your latest offering for some of your Thai counterparts contain ingredients that really can't be included in the same dish, for example:

จองหอง doesn't mean sassy,it means arrogant, conceited, too much self confidence, a big ego, as certain so-called VIPs possess.

หยาบคาย is more like crude, coarse or vulgar, ie ' as a country boy my humour was too coarse for the refined circles of Bangkok's hi-so'.

ไร้มารยาท means lacking manners or illmannered, I've often heard it used when a customer or consumer is complaining about the poor quality service he or she has received and the official responsible has shown no sense of respect or decorum.

ทลึ่ง is definitely the best word for cheeky and can be applied to a good percentage of Bangkok youth.

Happy eating,

yours,

bannork.

Hi Bannork,

I didn't say they were real synonyms.I only said they were "sassy" and related!

You probably misunderstood "accidentally on purpose" this time.

I knew the meanings but thanks anyway for sharing your concept.

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[snowleopard]

bannork_ หยาบคาย is more like crude, coarse or vulgar, ie ' as a country boy my humour was too coarse for the refined circles of Bangkok's hi-so'.

Bannork,

The best and closest term for "sassy" might be the Thai โอหัง?

It's not perfect because it can also mean 1.dare;2.be bold enough;3.be arrogant etc.

Do you have a better one,B.N.?Somehow,you seem to have a real knack there for the meaning of rude Thai terms and their use at various occasions!

Has your skill in defining abusive Thai been honed to perfection due to your having lived long among them hillbilly yokels up there in "Hicks-ville"?

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[bannork]

Snowleopard,

ทะลึ่ง is definitely the word to use for cheeky, โอหัง is similar to ยโส in meaning arrogant, condescending etc; to get back to the thread, namely Thai sayings.

Here's a good one for all the Khaosan road tourists: ฝรั่งขี้นก farang khee nok, literally, the bird droppings westerners, meaning farangs with no money and/or dressed scruffily. Sadly, I myself fall into the first category but I try to avoid the second. Here's some more sayings to hopefully jumpstart the thread again.

อกหักดีกว่ารักไม่เป็น ok hak dee kwa rak mai pen, better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

ดาบสองคม dap songkhom, literally,a sword sharp on both sides, the same as the English,a double edged sword.

ก้ำกึ่ง kamkeung, 50-50, not certain, I always use this with the wife when she asks about the chances of us having the house completed before the next life.

ไม่เห็นน้ำอย่าตัดกระบอกไม่เห็นกระรอกอย่าโก่งหน้าไม้ don't count your chickens before they hatch.

ไม่มีใครอยู่ค้ำฟ้า nobody lives for ever.

ไก่แก่แม่ปลาช่อน,literally, old chicken, mother of snakehead fish, meaning a tricky, foxy older\ish woman, using her charms to seize one's assets; but why mother of snakehead fish?

Still no response to my request for an idiom equivalent to 'splitting hairs'.

Yours, bannork.

[snowleopard]

Still no response to my request for an idiom equivalent to 'splitting hairs'.

Yours, bannork.

Hi Bannork,

Maybe you could use one of these three expressions for the English "splitting hairs"?

1.โต้เถียงเรื่องไร้สาระ "dto-te-ang reu-ang rai saa-ra"=argue about nonsense matters

2.พยายามจับผิด "pa-yaa-yaam jup pid"=trying to find faults;nit-picking;niggling

3.หาข้อผิดพลาดเล็กๆ น้อยๆ "haa koh pid plaad lek lek noi noi"=petti-foggery

I don't think "splitting hairs" should be applied in the case of "appropriately" vs "accordingly"though!

By the way,did you get it before when I showed you this example?

If for some reason you were told to dress "inappropriately"by an authority which you respect,then you should dress "accordingly",shouldn't you? 

(e.g civil disobedience)

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[jennscoot]

how about 'khai dit tang, nom dit lang'?

can you guess the meaning from the transliteration? it's thai bloke talk for those occasions when the bloke's on the front of the motorbike with the girl behind.

my bf taught me this one.

[snowleopard]

how about 'khai dit tang, nom dit lang'?

can you guess the meaning from the transliteration?  it's thai bloke talk for those occasions when the bloke's on the front of the motorbike with the girl behind.

my bf taught me this one.

I've never heard that one but I'd guess it might be written like this in Thai ไก่ทิศทางนมติดหลัง

I leave the interpretation to somebody else because I've got a theory re the meaning;and,if I'm correct, then it isn't a very polite expression to share with a lady.

Is he still your bf?

Snowleopard

[the scouser]

ไก่ทิศทางนมติดหลัง

Hi Snow Leopard,

I was thinking more likely to be balls than chickens. If I may, at the risk of offending, have an attempt at translation: " the testicles are stuck to the tank and the tits are stuck to the back."

Cheers,

Scouse.

[snowleopard]

ไก่ทิศทางนมติดหลัง

Hi Snow Leopard,

I was thinking more likely to be balls than chickens. If I may, at the risk of offending, have an attempt at translation: " the testicles are stuck to the tank and the tits are stuck to the back."

Cheers,

Scouse.

Hello Scouse,

Could you please write that sentence in Thai? (ไข่ ??)

I thought it was the slang term ไก่ "gai" that was meant rather than the real poultry itself!

I could be wrong and it might be something else altogether!

Have you ever heard that expression?

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[the scouser]

Hi Snow Leopard,

ไข่ติดถังนมติดหลัง

I've not heard the phrase before and this is my interpretation of the Roman script provided by Jennscoot. Perhaps it's just my dirty mind.

Scouse.

[snowleopard]

Hi Snow Leopard,

ไข่ติดถังนมติดหลัง

I've not heard the phrase before and this is my interpretation of the Roman script provided by Jennscoot. Perhaps it's just my dirty mind.

Scouse.

Hi Scouse,

Thanks for writing it down in Thai. I thought it was that one you meant so it is good to get it confirmed in civilized script.

Supposing your translation is correct,what does it really mean?

Why do they use this idiom?

Beats me!

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[the scouser]

Supposing your translation is correct,what does it really mean?

Why do they use this idiom?

Beats me too. I think it's one to research with a Thai. I can't convey any other meaning to it other than, "Look, there's a bloke riding a bike with his bird on the back."

ไก่ทิศทางนมติดหลัง

Can I surmise that "ไก่" has a foul as well as fowl meaning? If so, spill the beans. Solely in the interests of furthering my education, you understand.

Scouse.

[jennscoot]

ahem, as most of you guessed, it translates literally to balls against the tank (of the bike), tits against the back (of the rider).

and, being gorgeous and charming, of course my bf shared it only within the context of the conversation and the girls present at that time loved it, thought it was hilarious. it's short, it rhymes, it's easy to remember!

khai, not kai.

[RamdomChances]

Can I surmise that "ไก่" has a foul as well as fowl meaning? If so, spill the beans. Solely in the interests of furthering my education, you understand

Gai can also be slang for "easy women"

Hence the saying "bpai jap gai" go look for easy women.

[snowleopard]

Can I surmise that "ไก่" has a foul as well as fowl meaning? If so, spill the beans. Solely in the interests of furthering my education, you understand

Gai can also be slang for "easy women"

Hence the saying "bpai jap gai" go look for easy women.

You spilled the beans,Random!

Good on you.

Cheers.

Snowleopard.

[snowleopard]

ahem, as most of you guessed, it translates literally to balls against the tank (of the bike), tits against the back (of the rider). 

and, being gorgeous and charming, of course my bf shared it only within the context of the conversation and the girls present at that time loved it, thought it was hilarious. it's short, it rhymes, it's easy to remember!

khai, not kai.

khai, not kai.

ไก่ "khai"=chick

ไข่ "kai"=egg

What's your bf trying to say?

Snowleopard.

[bannork]

I guess he's saying he's feeling pretty darn good! I'll try it with the wife this afternoon, if she's never heard of it I'll claim I've just thought of it, thanks jennscoot! If you've got anymore, please keep us posted.

Snowleopard, thanks for your helpful suggestions for 'splitting hairs''and I acknowledge your 'civil disobedience' example perceptively showed a difference between the use of 'appropriately 'and 'accordingly'. This discussion about synonyms made me realise the whole area of synonyms is a potential minefield, at least in English. For example, take the word', fat.'Now, thinking off the top of my head, words that could be synonyms may be: plump, podgy, stout, overweight, chubby, porky, thickset, etc, my point is how far from the standard can you go to still be a synonym?

Back to Thai sayings นั่งตบยุง nang dtob yoong, sitting down and swotting mosquitoes, ie doing sod all. I always see this used in reference to civil servants transferred to 'inactive posts', ie sidelined or demoted, often due to suspected corruption but I'm told anyone can use it to refer to idling the time away. For a long time I thought being transferred to an 'inactive post' was a blessing not a punishment until a Thai explained the inactive post offered no chance for bribes or corruption and so was a real loss, at least in financial terms.

Yours,

bannork.

[the scouser]

ไก่ "khai"=chick

ไข่ "kai"=egg

ไก่กับไข่อะไรเกิดก่อนกัน khai gap kai arai gert gorn gun - which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Scouse.

[snowleopard]

ไก่ "khai"=chick

ไข่ "kai"=egg

ไก่กับไข่อะไรเกิดก่อนกัน khai gap kai arai gert gorn gun - which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Scouse.

which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Which came first now? Neither!

The rooster,himself,came first!

"Cock-a-doodle-dooooooo..oo"!

Cheers.

Snowleopard.