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Thai Sayings and Phrases Wanted

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Whilst reading about one of His Majesty's projects I came across a phrase he used - ปลูกต้นไม้ในหัวใจคน plook dtom mai nai hua jai khon

This means to plant trees in the people's hearts, then they will plant trees in nature, kinda like reforestation.

  • 4 weeks later...
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  • snowleopard
    snowleopard

    Hi again Random Chances. It seems to be slipping into a coma so I'll try to resuscitate this wonderful thread with a little idiomatic CPR! Here's another batch of Thai sayings! 1.ขอแรงหน่อย=ko rae

  • Tum dern (sorry can't write the thai) : Walking water jar (the big water jars you see upcountry) will get you the same effect as the pickled garlic comment!

  • meadish_sweetball
    meadish_sweetball

    My personal favourite, which is very apt for describing the concealment tactics of politicians, is: ช้างตายทั้งตัว เอาใบบัวมาปิด(ไม่มิด) chaang taai thang tua ao bai bua maa pit (mai mit) = <Eng.

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I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Any help appreciated.

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Can understand your frustration as the litter irritates me; however, I'd suggest that you might want to hold your tongue as one of your targets just might plant a foot in one of your orifices.

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Can understand your frustration as the litter irritates me; however, I'd suggest that you might want to hold your tongue as one of your targets just might plant a foot in one of your orifices.

I'd be willing to take my chances and apply on a case-by-case basis...the last time it was on Samila Beach and I saw a cute girl about 20 furtively look around, then after seeing that I ( afarang) was the only one watching she dumped all her plastic crap on a grassy roadside area right in front of a government office. All I could think to say is "Why didn't you put it in the bin?"

It's really disgraceful.

anyway, would still appreciate any Thai equivalents for my curiosity as much as possible use

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Can understand your frustration as the litter irritates me; however, I'd suggest that you might want to hold your tongue as one of your targets just might plant a foot in one of your orifices.

I'd be willing to take my chances and apply on a case-by-case basis...the last time it was on Samila Beach and I saw a cute girl about 20 furtively look around, then after seeing that I ( afarang) was the only one watching she dumped all her plastic crap on a grassy roadside area right in front of a government office. All I could think to say is "Why didn't you put it in the bin?"

It's really disgraceful.

anyway, would still appreciate any Thai equivalents for my curiosity as much as possible use

  • 4 weeks later...

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Can understand your frustration as the litter irritates me; however, I'd suggest that you might want to hold your tongue as one of your targets just might plant a foot in one of your orifices.

I'd be willing to take my chances and apply on a case-by-case basis...the last time it was on Samila Beach and I saw a cute girl about 20 furtively look around, then after seeing that I ( afarang) was the only one watching she dumped all her plastic crap on a grassy roadside area right in front of a government office. All I could think to say is "Why didn't you put it in the bin?"

It's really disgraceful.

anyway, would still appreciate any Thai equivalents for my curiosity as much as possible use

I understand what you feel since I don't like it too but please be careful when you try to blame them. This is because you don't know how they react. I saw many news that people killed others just because they get blame.

So it is better to be patient and stay safe.

  • 2 months later...

Often we get some nice sunsets at this time of the year. At dusk the sky can vary from red to orange with heavy rain clouds scudding across. A Thai friend remarked to me- ผีตากผ้าอ้อม- literally the ghost hangs up to dry the baby's towel/cloth nappy. I'm not sure why a ghost or baby's cloth nappy, but it suggests that change of light around dusk, especially after rain.

How about- 'Ya guan brasat', which I think translates to something like - don't disturb my peace of mind. Perhaps someone can clarify a little.

Thanks.

How about- 'Ya guan brasat', which I think translates to something like - don't disturb my peace of mind. Perhaps someone can clarify a little.

Thanks.

อย่ากวนประสาท guan กวน means disturb, annoy, piss off, brasart ประสาท means nerves ya อย่า means don't so a good translation would be;' don't get on my nerves' or a bit stronger อย่ากวนตีน ya guan dteen- don't piss me off dteen refers to the feet of animals so the whole expression is a bit courser but very common

Anyway, these lads should be of considerable help:

http://www.ajarnadam.com/2013/01/blog-post_20.html

How about- 'Ya guan brasat', which I think translates to something like - don't disturb my peace of mind. Perhaps someone can clarify a little.

Thanks.

อย่ากวนประสาท guan กวน means disturb, annoy, piss off, brasart ประสาท means nerves ya อย่า means don't so a good translation would be;' don't get on my nerves' or a bit stronger อย่ากวนตีน ya guan dteen- don't piss me off dteen refers to the feet of animals so the whole expression is a bit courser but very common

Anyway, these lads should be of considerable help:

http://www.ajarnadam.com/2013/01/blog-post_20.html

Thank you, very helpful. Your Thai language abilities are very good.

How about- 'Ya guan brasat', which I think translates to something like - don't disturb my peace of mind. Perhaps someone can clarify a little.

Thanks.

อย่ากวนประสาท guan กวน means disturb, annoy, piss off, brasart ประสาท means nerves ya อย่า means don't so a good translation would be;' don't get on my nerves' or a bit stronger อย่ากวนตีน ya guan dteen- don't piss me off dteen refers to the feet of animals so the whole expression is a bit courser but very common

Anyway, these lads should be of considerable help:

http://www.ajarnadam.com/2013/01/blog-post_20.html

Thanks for the link too, that Adam Bradshaw is amazing, I am totally in awe of him!

  • 3 weeks later...

Looking for the proper pronunciation of "usufruct". In Lop Buri and want to see if a local lawyer can handle this or head to BKK for an english speaking lawyer. Thanks in advance.

  • 3 months later...

I'm going to guess by the context of the story I read it in, it means something like don't diminish
yourself by stooping down to someone else's level. Like if someone is a smart ass to you, you don't
have to be a smart ass back, which would lower your character to that persons level.

  • 3 weeks later...

bannork, what are u refering to?? sorry cant read non transliterated thai.... the lotus one?


and also the word transliterated for 'wait in vain' (madame butterfly syndrome-- from the opera of the same name)

bannork, what are u refering to?? sorry cant read non transliterated thai.... the lotus one?

and also the word transliterated for 'wait in vain' (madame butterfly syndrome-- from the opera of the same name)

What number was the lotus referral in this thread? it's too long to go back over every page

  • 2 weeks later...

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Any help appreciated.A bit late on this, but someone asked about "born in a barn" thing. It might be this: มึงเกิดในโรงหมูหรือวะ "were you born in a pig sty?" or มึงถูกเลี้ยงดูมาโดยควายหรือวะ Were you raised by buffalo???

Your words for "pig sty" caught my eye - I don't believe you use rong (โรง) to mean a pen or sty. I believe the word for an animal pen or enclosure would be kawk (คอก).

And I'd note that we falang ought to be careful attempting to use western phrases (often idiomatic) translated into Thai as sometimes what we happened to think a comment or phrase means falls on deaf ears (or worse, perhaps insults somebody). For example, you asking somebody if he/she were raised by buffalo might be taken as an insult toward their parents. I don't know that for sure but I'd recommend some caution (you don't suddenly want a Thai left foot stuck in your right ear....).

Your words for "pig sty" caught my eye - I don't believe you use rong (โรง) to mean a pen or sty. I believe the word for an animal pen or enclosure would be kawk (คอก).

And I'd note that we falang ought to be careful attempting to use western phrases (often idiomatic) translated into Thai as sometimes what we happened to think a comment or phrase means falls on deaf ears (or worse, perhaps insults somebody). For example, you asking somebody if he/she were raised by buffalo might be taken as an insult toward their parents. I don't know that for sure but I'd recommend some caution (you don't suddenly want a Thai left foot stuck in your right ear....).

Absolutely, CMBob. And thanks for the clarification on the animal pen word คอก. I'd be an idiot to say any of these things to a Thai unless it was a really close friend whom I was &lt;deleted&gt; around with while we are both drunk. However, I heard a Thai use the latter phrase to another as a putdown once, when I was a kid.

While on the subject of pigs and such, here's one to describe a worthless human being -

เป็นขนฝนตกขี้หมูไหล - its an idiom which directly translated is: a person who is like raining pig shit. bpen khon fohn dtohk kee moo lai

It's not just ฝนตกขี้หมูไหล, this is followed by คนจัญไรมาพบกัน.

The complete saying is ฝนตกขี้หมูไหล คนจัญไรมาพบกัน.

The vivid meaning of the first part is explained by the second part.

You know how the rain dissolves and spreads the poo and gathers it in low places...

if a girl you see make you really exciting ...And you want her so badly.... say : เงี่ยนมาก"(Ngeī̀yn maak) 555+ ..But only if you sure that she feel the same about you......... but better say it first ...its fun she will appreciate it lol)

I need a Thai equivalent of the sarcastic question: Did you grow up in a barn?

I need this to shame all the people I see littering here.

Any help appreciated.A bit late on this, but someone asked about "born in a barn" thing. It might be this: มึงเกิดในโรงหมูหรือวะ "were you born in a pig sty?" or มึงถูกเลี้ยงดูมาโดยควายหรือวะ Were you raised by buffalo???

this is very violent lol

  • 1 month later...

My daughter often mildly teases me which leads to a play fight which she loves. I'd like a phrase similar to " Don't push it" or "Don't push your luck" when she's teasing me to give her a fit of giggles in anticipation of what's to come.

My daughter often mildly teases me which leads to a play fight which she loves. I'd like a phrase similar to " Don't push it" or "Don't push your luck" when she's teasing me to give her a fit of giggles in anticipation of what's to come.

You can just say อย่าทำ(don't do it), อย่าหวัง(don't hope) in normal tone (not funny though) I don't want to teach anything else I don't know if she will be angry with my phases We would say many things but with our different tones if you say it wrong your daughter will be angry at you อย่าหวังว่าจะเล่นด้วย, ไม่เล่น, etc Please don't use if you don't know the outcome Thais fight each other because something like this...

  • 3 weeks later...

As a kid here, I was often warned, อย่าดึงเชือกเกินไป - yaa dunng chuak gernpai

It means "don't pull the rope too much."

"Luke kai nai kam mue"(ลูกไก่ในกำมือ), "nai kam mue" (ในกำมือ) = "in the palm of one's hand"

  • 2 months later...

Just learned this one:

ทำใจ ร่มๆ = calm down [make heart shade shade]

Back when the "war on drugs" was going on we where at the local market and a car pulled up and shot two people allegedly involved in drugs, apparently this was carried out by the police.

Anyway, my friend turns to me and says " shuak gai hi ling do" basicly

"Cut the chickens throat and let the monkeys watch"

ie They were being made an examlpe of.

Anyone esle know any thai sayings and their meanings?

Cheers

I was told the other day that....

Naa neu jai suar young tur (face, body, heart of the tiger) from the bird+seksun song meant "she is 2 faced".

I then asked what does "Tur naa song" mean and he said "2 faced".

anyone confirm this?

  • 1 month later...
On 6/17/2016 at 10:16 AM, raojai said:

 

หน้าเนื้อใจเสืออย่างเธอ   na neua  jai seua   I think means look kind but actually be a nasty person whilst I thought   ter  na song should be the other way round to be two- faced เธอสองหน้า ter song na  

Wouldn't  ter na song be more likely to mean second hand face following the meaning of meu song  มือสอง second hand ?  But I suppose second hand face could only apply to someone who had had cosmetic surgery!

A couple of sayings-   the first one could apply to teachers in Prathom classes at times จับปูใส่กระพ้ง  -catch crabs and put them in a winnowing basket- those baskets are large and shallow so the effect is predictable- crabs zigzagging everywhere- in other words the kids are naughty and out of control.

ฆ่าควายเสียดายเกลือ- kill the buffalo and be stingy on the salt (so the meat rots) - to undertake a big investment  but not invest fully, to do things in half measures, ie build a new restaurant, decorate it but employ a  mediocre chef. 

So it should be ฆ่าควายอย่าเสียดายเกลือ- don't do things in half measures

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