I had a small discussion with my gf regarding the word english word "Butterfly" (Chau shoo), describing a person that changes partner often, not committing to relationships. I had never heard the word in this context before coming to Thailand. Is it a common expression in english speaking languages, or is it (as my theory is) used more often in Thailand than in english speaking countries? I'm not a native english speaker, hence my question.

^^^^^,

Your assumptions are correct, I had never heard the term before coming here.

Now ask her about the term "helicopter"

I have heard the term "social butterfly" describing someone who easily moves through a group or party happily chatting with everyone, jumping from conversation to conversation.

I have heard the term "social butterfly" describing someone who easily moves through a group or party happily chatting with everyone, jumping from conversation to conversation.

Yes, I am familiar with that term also.

Then there is Madama Butterfly in the Puccini opera of the same name. Madama Butterfly is a foreign wife, not a cortesian, jilted by her American naval officer husband in favor of a wife of his own nationality. I wonder if this opera character had any influence in the development of the Thai notion of ผีเสือราตรี.

Or it could be the butterfly effect. A butterfly flaps it's wings in Naklua, and that night, a hurricane of German men sweeps through Walking Street.

First heard it long ago, but never really traced the source. It's not known in the Antipodes. If you find out anything, let us know. Just curious. Your English is very precise, btw.

In 'The World of Suzie Wong', there's the term 'butterfly man' (used in English by Chinese bar girls) for someone who hires a different girl every night rather than sticking with the same one. 'Night butterfly' (but in Thai) is one of the many Thai expressions for 'prostitute'. I wouldn't be surprised to find the metaphor was Chinese, but the metaphor is not unknown in English. I think the metaphor was explained in 'The World of Suzie Wong', so that book might have done much to spread the metaphor in English.

My wife, who's Thai, was taken aback to find a butterfly on many of her birthday cards. From the offence she claimed to take, 'fickleness' rather than 'beauty' is what she associates butterflies with.

Then there is Madama Butterfly in the Puccini opera of the same name. Madama Butterfly is a foreign wife, not a cortesian, jilted by her American naval officer husband in favor of a wife of his own nationality. I wonder if this opera character had any influence in the development of the Thai notion of ผีเสือราตรี.

Madama Butterfly is based in part on the short story " Madame Butterfly " ( 1898 ), based itself in part on " Madame Chrysanthème" by Pierre Loti

in French, there is the verb "papillonner " ( " papillon" is "butterfly" ), which means " to flit from one person to another " or " to flit from one thing to another " and it's pretty usual

maybe, by association of idea, the author gave to this woman's name the english name associated to " papillonner "

Edited September 26, 201312 yr by Aforek

The phrase in Thai is เจ้าชู้ - it can mean adulterer, so rather more serious than just 'butterfly'. A variant (for male adultery) is ชู้สาว

A very popular song ไม่ได้เจ้าชู้ by ไหมไทย ใจตะวัน is all about him pleading that he hasn't played around. There is an original video around somewhere, but all sorts of amateurs are making their own videos to the song, one here, with lyrics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbvZ552psXk

The song is also available at http://music.gmember.com/%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%88%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%94%E0%B9%89%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%88%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89-%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%A1%E0%B9%84%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%A2-%E0%B9%83%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%B0%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%99/Song-1004361201

Edited September 26, 201312 yr by RickBradford

The Thai word เจ้าชู้ does not mean "butterfly." It means a philanderer or Casanova. The English word "butterfly" does not mean philanderer or Casanova. At least I have never encountered such a use. For some reason this bad translation has stuck like a barnacle to the pidgin Thai favored by expats in Thailand.

I am from California USA and have heard it used the same way as Thais use it.

Funny, when I try to explain about how a real butterfly goes from flower, to flower, to flower, the Thais do get it at all, but a man who goes from girl to girl, is a butterfly to them!

Thanks for the answers! It seems like there's mixed responses, but I'll go with the majority if that's an indicator at all.

just wanna add one more expression relating to the word 'adulterer' that is 'เจ้าชู้ไก่แจ้'

peace!

The most accurate English translation for a เจ้าชู้ (Jao Chuu) is a "player"

I think playboy and Cassanova are close translations too but they often have a positive connotation in English whereas in Thai the term is more negative. A translation of "aldulterer" is too strong and the term เจ้าชู้ is so widely used these days that it doesn't carry much shock value and often used as a joke or just testing some guy to see how he responds.

Butterfly is same concept, maybe softer that เจ้าชู้

It's Thai bar girl talk (not English at all), beware any girl that uses it.

But Thai language 'choo' = lover, 'jow' is prefix added to a word to indicate something someone does well or often.

'Jow choo' = frequent lover

'pee sue-wa' = butterfly.

Edited October 11, 201312 yr by FiftyTwo

เจ้าชู้ is like a promiscuous male, while the female equivalent is แรด.

I ve first heard it here. It is just projection, they can't help themselves.

เจ้าชู้ is like a promiscuous male, while the female equivalent is แรด.

Is the latter the same as the short-vowelled word for which the new spelling แร่ด is being promulgated?

I guess some people like to spell it this way. As you know, both reads with the same tone.

If you google, there's even people who spell it this way when they write about the animal rhino.

More uninfo here:

http://th.uncyclopedia.info/wiki/%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%94