HET HU NU (เห็ดหูหนู)

[Kanga Japan]

Could someone confirm which of the following scientific terms is correct for HET HU NU?

1. Auricularia polytricha

2. Auricularia auricula-judae

There seems to be some confusion.

Thank you for your help.

[KhunBENQ]

With the usual "WiKi" method I pledge for "Auricularia auricula-judae".

For the "Auricularia polytricha" there is no WiKi entry in Thai.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae (Jew's ear, wood ear, jelly ear)

https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B9

A comparison of the image search also gives a hint in this direction:

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AB%E0%B9%87%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B9&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fRKSVa79NoHJuAS914GACQ&ved=0CBwQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=888

https://www.google.co.th/search?q=Jew%27s+ear&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=vhKSVZH6A4mLuwSvtJaQBA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=888

[Pla shado]

I tend to agree with KhunBENQ, (Auricularia auricula-judae), based primarily on just personal observation. However, when I showed photos of Auricularia polytricha and Auricularia auricula-judae to Mrs. Pla shado, she identified both of them of as het hu nu (เห็ดหูหนู). To her, and I suspect to most local folks, there is not enough discernible difference between them to warrant separate names. That is assuming, of course, that they have both varieties here. I wish I could be more definitive but this is the best I could come up with.

Regarding your query about Thong Lang (ทองหลางลาย) on another thread, I have no idea. Sorry.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear KhunBENQ and Pla shado (and wife),

Thank you both for that information. It seems to me that both names are used for HED HU NU, even though KhunBENQ says that there is no WiKi entry in Thai for "Auricularia polytricha".

KhunBENQ, thank you for those links. They are great, but as they are in Thai, it will take me some time to get through them. By the way, I wonder if those photos can be used to download? Probably not.

Thanks again to you all for your help.

[Pla shado]

By the way, in KhunBENQ's link (https://www.google.c...iw=1280&bih=888) the white mushroom in the second row, third from the left (middle actually) is called เห็ดหูหนูขาว (het hu nu khao) = white mouse ear mushroom.

How that for complicating things?

[Kanga Japan]

Dear Pla shado,

Thanks for the information and for trying to complicate things even more, but you couldn't. There are so many mushrooms in Thailand!

I did actually have that on my list already:

HET HU NU KHAO (Tremella fuciformis)

Known as: silver ear fungus, snow fungus, white jelly fungus. I will also add your description - white mouse ear

I have another HET HU NU (who knew?) - joke, sorry:

HET HU NU SI NAM TAM (Auricularia auricula)

Known as: brown jelly ear fungus, brown jew's ear fungus, brown tree/wood ear fungus

Thanks again for your help.

[MaeJoMTB]

het = mushroom

hoo = ear (or vagina)

noo = mouse (or rat)

si = colour

nam tan = brown

[Kanga Japan]

Thanks MaeJoMTB,

I appreciate that, but I sort of knew those (except for the second meaning of HU).

I always appreciate information anyone gives me though. There are many words which I am not aware of.

[Pla shado]

I have another HET HU NU (who knew?)

Must be a heck of a lot of mice in those Thai mushroom patches. Glad to know you already had that covered.

[Mole]

I think you misunderstand.

hoo = ear (or vagina)

It's "hii" which is vagina.

[MaeJoMTB]

I think you misunderstand.

hoo = ear (or vagina)

It's "hii" which is vagina.

Take a look at the youtube video 'kan hoo', then ask a Thai what it really means.

[Mole]

No, you obviously have misunderstood!

That's only used in the name of that particular song.

For obvious reasons, they can't write "hii" so they write "hoo" to mean "hii" instead.

FYI, I AM A NATIVE THAI.

[MaeJoMTB]

No, you obviously have misunderstood!

That's only used in the name of that particular song.

For obvious reasons, they can't write "hii" so they write "hoo" to mean "hii" instead.

FYI, I AM A NATIVE THAI.

One of the interesting things about asking a native Thai about Thai language .......

The answer varies depending on the sex, age, educational level, social level, native language and village language of the person you speak to.

Thai is nowhere near a cohesive language.

But I take your comment on board.

[Mole]

It was used in the title of that song only. Normally you would not use "hoo" to mean vagina at all.

Also for this particular song, the intended meaning is "khan hii" which means something like being horny (as in having an itch in your vagina), so "khan hoo" was used instead. One would have to say "khan hoo" in order for a Thai to think of "khan hii" instead. If you only said "hoo" a Thai would never ever associate it with "hii".

But as I said, normally people just say "khan hii" and never "khan hoo". It was used in that particular song only.

Those who explained it to you didn't quite explain it fully, hence your misunderstanding of this issue...

[Kanga Japan]

I will leave the 'v' explanation to discuss between yourselves. I have no knowledge about that.

All I know is that there are many Thai mushrooms and they seem to be connected to mice (or perhaps the small ones only) in some way.

Thank you all for your help.