Is there a term for 'a sponger' in Thai?

[Deserted]

So as the title suggests, my question is 'Is there a term for a sponger in Thai? By this I mean someone who just wants to get things for free all the time or get money given to them all the time, with no intention of ever returning the good deeds done to them. I'm thinking more in the context of 'friendship&acquaintances' more than anything else.

I'm guessing there's quite a few,

tx

[AyG]

ขี้อ้อน (adj.)

[Deserted]

So someone would be 'kon kee awn'? (sorry can't type Thai. Are there more negative /positive synonyms?

[katana]

I thought KHEE AWN ขี้อ้อน was more like a crybaby, whining, affection seeking etc?
http://youtu.be/WLrbTflR4Y0?t=42s

KHEE KHAW ขี้ขอ might fit
ขี้ขอ - to sponge of someone; คนขี้ขอ - (n) a sponger.

eg there's a thread on Pantip started by a Thai girl asking for help on how to deal with her roommate who's always sponging off her - money and borrowing stuff etc:
ทำยังไงกับเพื่อน(ขี้ขอ) แบบนี้ดี (What can I do about my friend who's always sponging off me?).
http://pantip.com/topic/30582442

[CMBob]

Agree that "kon kee awn" is more like a crybaby or whiner. As for "sponger", I've rarely heard the term (I think it's more British than American English) and I'm wondering if the American term "freeloader" might be about the same meaning; if so, there's a thai verb - เอาเปรียบคนอื่น - which means to freeload or take advantage of others but I'm not sure how to correctly write that as an adjective. Also found at least one definition of a "freeloader" on the net - which is คนเหห้าชำระคนอีก - but I'm not sure of the meaning there (this phrase may be more idiomatic than literal in meaning). Best I can figure out.

[AyG]

FWIW, thai-language.com defines ขี้อ้อน as: "moocher; sponger; schnorrer; cadger; a person who habitually takes advantage of the generosity of others"

http://thai-language.com/id/133212#def3

[samsensam]

friend and/or family?

[AyG]

Also found at least one definition of a "freeloader" on the net - which is คนเหห้าชำระคนอีก

I'm pretty sure that that source isn't reliable. There's no word เหห้าชำระ in any dictionary that I could find. ชำระ means (amongst other things) to settle a debt, which is rather the opposite of a sponger's proclivities.

[bannork]

เห็นแก่ได้ is not a bad translation for sponger, freeloader- just see what I can get/useful for me

เอาเปรียบ- take advantage of , what's in it for me

[DavidHouston]

I believe that ขี้อ้อน and the verb อ้อน describe the manner in which the begging or imploring is done. The person who is engaged in this behavior wheedles, whimpers, whines, and simpers to achieve what he or she wants.

Here are some sentences from "New Model Thai-English Dictionary", So. Sethaphtra, Thai Watana Panich Press Co., Ltd., Fifth Edition 1984, Volume II, Page 1033:

"ลูกอ้อนจะเอาขวดนม" - "Baby is whimpering for the bottle."

"เธออ้อนเขาจนเขาต้องอยู่กับเธอ" - "She cajoled him into staying with her."

"ถึงแม้จะอ้อนวอนเขาเท่าไร เขาก็คงไม่ยอมสละเงินของเขา" - "No amount of pleading will induce him to part with his money."

"เขาอ้อนวอนให้ผมรับตำแหน่งนี้" - "He implored me to accept the post."

"ผมเสียอ้อนวอนเขาไม่ได้" - "I could not resist his pleading."

Note that the translations are in So Sethaphtra dictionary and that the language may be dated. Also, the combination term อ้อนวอน carries a variation of the base term.

The dictionary also carries the following definition for ขี้อ้อน as "peevish, fretful."

Let's consider the use of the word "กินแรง" to answer the question of the OP. "คลังคำ" defines the term as "เอาเปรียบผู้อื่นในการทำงาน" (to take advantage of others in the work place). อาจารย์ นววรรณ provides the following sample sentence:

"เขาถูกนินทาว่ากินแราเพื่อน" (He is rumored to take advantage of his co-workers.)

I'll try to find other examples.

I'll try to find some examples.

[GanDoonToonPet]

Surely 'kee nok' = 'bird shit' as is usually applied to farangs, equally applies across the board.

[DavidHouston]

"เบื่อ พวกไม่ทำงาน กินแรงเพื่อน" - I'm really tired of people who don't work and take advantage of their friends.

"เราจะทำอย่างไรดีกับเพื่อนร่วมงานที่ชอบกินแรงเพื่อน เพื่อผลประโยชน์ของตัวเอง" - What can we do about coworkers who don't do their fair share just for their own advantage."

"นิสัยคนที่ชอบกินแรงเพื่อนนี้บอกตรงๆว่ามีเยอะมาใน โลกนี้ คนลักษณะนี้เราจะทำอย่างไร" - Let me say this very frankly: There are many people in this world who habitually take advantage of others. What can we do with people like this?

[Deserted]

Agree that "kon kee awn" is more like a crybaby or whiner. As for "sponger", I've rarely heard the term (I think it's more British than American English) and I'm wondering if the American term "freeloader" might be about the same meaning; if so, there's a thai verb - เอาเปรียบคนอื่น - which means to freeload or take advantage of others but I'm not sure how to correctly write that as an adjective. Also found at least one definition of a "freeloader" on the net - which is คนเหห้าชำระคนอีก - but I'm not sure of the meaning there (this phrase may be more idiomatic than literal in meaning). Best I can figure out.

Hi yes, the American equivalent is freeloader.

[rgs2001uk]

Ka fak, Ka jok?

The first one I think is parasite.

The second I hear for freeloader, eg one who drinks beer for free but doesnt put his hand in his pocket.

[rak sa_ngop]

How about calling them เพื่อนกิน as opposed to เพื่อนตาย

A friend who is only a friend for the free food and drink he can get as opposed to a friend who will die for you.

A เพื่อนตาย is hard to find!

[Deserted]

Ka fak, Ka jok?

The first one I think is parasite.

The second I hear for freeloader, eg one who drinks beer for free but doesnt put his hand in his pocket.

I'm told by a native Thai that Kar-jok is used to describe a poor person not worth considering and that its a very negative term and that Kar-faak is a parasite as you say but again a very negative term. I was hoping for something less offensive, I'll keep trying.

[AyG]

Just to throw one more possibility on the pyre:

ขี้ยืม

[kriswillems]

I agree with เพื่อนกิน

[gk10002000]

Agree that "kon kee awn" is more like a crybaby or whiner. As for "sponger", I've rarely heard the term (I think it's more British than American English) and I'm wondering if the American term "freeloader" might be about the same meaning; if so, there's a thai verb - เอาเปรียบคนอื่น - which means to freeload or take advantage of others but I'm not sure how to correctly write that as an adjective. Also found at least one definition of a "freeloader" on the net - which is คนเหห้าชำระคนอีก - but I'm not sure of the meaning there (this phrase may be more idiomatic than literal in meaning). Best I can figure out.

USA er here. In my mind a sponger is a worst connotation than a freeloader. Freeloaders are more obvious and they are what they are (lazy uncle, bumb cousin). When I use sponger I think of a more devious or conniving person that of course has the goal of not paying their way.

[schweizer]

I have heard farangs use the word teelak for someone who takes as much as possible

[KhaoNiaw]

เกาะกินคนอื่น

[katana]

...

[Baa_Mango]

เกาะ is very good. It is means to cling on to someone else.. but also is the (miss represented..) Ko from Ko Samui, etc.. meaning island. literal meaning.

Can be used in a verb which i've heard a few times.. not to be negative but heard a girl use it as a verb meaning to just hang on implying just stay with someone for free stuff. That still isn't a word for freeloader or sponger though.

think

เห็นแก่ได้

เอาเปรียบ

are both ok and ขี้ขอ is more about someone who just wants wants wants

[Briggsy]

I used ปลิง in this context because I did not know a word-for-word translation. It seemed to be understood. But beware this was purely me guessing. I have never heard a Thai use it first.

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^^, yes pling (ปลิง) is understood, but its not what I hear used.

Sometimes we farang have to accept the fact there is no direct word for word translation, and at times explanations are required.

Same same for Thai to English.

[Briggsy]

Searching back through my memory, I am sure I have heard ขี้ขอ as other posters have mentioned.

To widen the discussion, 'sponger' is a derogatory term. Thais, of course, use derogatory terms but their culture pushes them to avoid using them. A glance through a Thai dictionary will discover a disproportionate number of derogatory terms are loan words from Tae Jiu, a southern Chinese language. One of my girlfriend's bugbears is the prominence of students now in Thailand living off their parents' cash, all with nice Finos, going out getting drunk at pricey pubs. She clearly has no respect for this kind of sponging behaviour but instead of calling them spongers, does the Thai thing and turns the situation around and comes out with, "สงสารพ่อแม่"