Greedy

[llso]

Hi, Speak fairly Ok Thai been here 5 years but don't know Thai word for greedy. Want to tell the wife that her sisters boy is greedy. He is really greedy when it comes to food. Not a problem really since they are pretty poor but wanted to tell the wife.

Thanks,

LL

[Tywais]

There are several Thai words for greedy. Probably this one is the one you want: น้ำลายสอ nahm-lai-sow - nahm-lai literally means 'running water' like in salavating.

You can look up definitions quickly here: thai2english

[Clearskyinbkk]

There are several Thai words for greedy. Probably this one is the one you want: น้ำลายสอ nahm-lai-sow - nahm-lai literally means 'running water' like in salavating.

You can look up definitions quickly here: thai2english

I think it should be the word ตะกละ (Tha- kla). We commonly use this word with a person who always wants more food or drink than he or she needs.

[Tywais]

There are several Thai words for greedy. Probably this one is the one you want: น้ำลายสอ nahm-lai-sow - nahm-lai literally means 'running water' like in salavating.

You can look up definitions quickly here: thai2english

I think it should be the word ตะกละ (Tha- kla). We commonly use this word with a person who always wants more food or drink than he or she needs.

I was thinking that also but wasn't sure about it, thanks for the info. And glad to see you participating in this forum, always good to have a Thai's perspective on the language. Could you give an example of how to use the term I showed น้ำลายสอ or where it would apply?

[sbk]

Is ตะกละ (Tha- kla) a noun or a verb?

It seems the word the OP is looking for in English would correctly be a glutton: a person who eats and drinks excessively or voraciously. Not a word in common usage but much more descriptive than greedy, which has more meanings than just someone greedy for food.

[Tywais]

Is ตะกละ (Tha- kla) a noun or a verb?

It seems the word the OP is looking for in English would correctly be a glutton: a person who eats and drinks excessively or voraciously. Not a word in common usage but much more descriptive than greedy, which has more meanings than just someone greedy for food.

ตะกละ is an adjective meaning gluttonous (greedy in regards to food). This is why it's a little confusing to me due to so many terms used for greedy.

[Clearskyinbkk]

There are several Thai words for greedy. Probably this one is the one you want: น้ำลายสอ nahm-lai-sow - nahm-lai literally means 'running water' like in salavating.

You can look up definitions quickly here: thai2english

I think it should be the word ตะกละ (Tha- kla). We commonly use this word with a person who always wants more food or drink than he or she needs.

I was thinking that also but wasn't sure about it, thanks for the info. And glad to see you participating in this forum, always good to have a Thai's perspective on the language. Could you give an example of how to use the term I showed น้ำลายสอ or where it would apply?

Ok, the word น้ำลายสอ would normally apply with the appetite. Normaly food that looks delicious or smells very good make you น้ำลายสอ or make you want to eat it as soon as possible. Ex. This nice-smelled Tom Yam Yung make be really want to eat. ต้ำยำกุ้งกลิ่นหอมถ้วยนี้ทำให้ฉันน้ำลายสอ

I'm not sure if this is a good explanation. But hope it may help a little bit.

[Tywais]

Ok, the word น้ำลายสอ would normally apply with the appetite. Normaly food that looks delicious or smells very good make you น้ำลายสอ or make you want to eat it as soon as possible. Ex. This nice-smelled Tom Yam Yung make be really want to eat. ต้ำยำกุ้งกลิ่นหอมถ้วยนี้ทำให้ฉันน้ำลายสอ

I'm not sure if this is a good explanation. But hope it may help a little bit.

Makes perfect sense. When our dog sees his food being prepared my wife says น้ำลายสอ because of the drool coming from his mouth. I usually just say น้ำลาย

[Neeranam]

What about 'lohb'? โลบ

[Clearskyinbkk]

What about 'lohb'? โลบ

I think โลภ is more commonly used when people always want more money, possesions or etc but i hardly hear people usig the word โลภ with food. โลภ is a short word for ละโมบโลภมาก

[Rikker]

OT alert: It always interests me when Thais say X is short for Y with words like these. I think it's the other way around.

ละโมบโลภมาก is more likely a Thai elaboration of โลภ, because โลภ is from a Pali/Sanskrit word, and both ละโมบ and มาก aren't.*

*(At least ละโมบ isn't from P/S directly, but I'd make a stab in the near dark that it is derived from โลภ by way of Khmer, since Khmer has lots of infixing, and many infixed Khmer words have been borrowed into Thai.)

[taxexile]

i think

โลบ for food (or โลภ)

ตะกละ for things and possessions.

[meadish_sweetball]

There is no โลบ ... it is spelt โลภ.

Not to discount you tax, but Clearsky's a native, I would trust her on usage.

[davidjtayler]

'Ta gla' is the word I use for food greed and for monitary greed I use the word 'gak'

Dont know how to spell them...

[SoloFlyer]

Khii Oaw??

[Neeranam]

There is no โลบ ... it is spelt โลภ.

My mistake .

Is this word correct or not for talking about food?

ละโมบโลภมาก is more likely a Thai elaboration of โลภ, because โลภ is from a Pali/Sanskrit word, and both ละโมบ and มาก aren't.*

Yes, quite right.

[taxexile]

There is no โลบ ... it is spelt โลภ

thanks for the correction !!

กัก ( gak) means to store , and can mean to hoard (กักตุน) , maybe it has a colloquial meaning of greedy.

Edited October 14, 2006 by taxexile

[meadish_sweetball]

I haven't run into either expression in connection with food, I just don't know any food-greedy people apart from myself ( ), so I don't know which one is more correct than the other.

กัก is interesting... Never heard that one before either, but I can see how a person who serves himself a lot at a time from a common dish, where the polite norm is one spoonful or piece at a time, can be called a hoarder.

[samran]

There are several Thai words for greedy. Probably this one is the one you want: น้ำลายสอ nahm-lai-sow - nahm-lai literally means 'running water' like in salavating.

You can look up definitions quickly here: thai2english

I think it should be the word ตะกละ (Tha- kla). We commonly use this word with a person who always wants more food or drink than he or she needs.

seconded.

[fxm88]

I'm sorry but you are all wrong. The Thai language simply has no word for greed. It is simply a foreign concept that does not really exist for the vast majority of Thai people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_determinism

[Rikker]

Riiiight...

[Rikker]

Since they haven't been suggested yet, allow me to mention:

ขี้โลภ (as a variation on simply โลภ, that is, prone to covetousness/greed as a more permanent character trait)

มักได้

มักมาก

เห็นแก่ได้

งก

Edited October 14, 2006 by Rikker

[Briggsy]

When I was doing some extra lessons in the evening, my neighbour jokingly described me as 'ngok' งก i.e. greedy or money-grabbing.

[khonnaarak]

i think

โลบ for food (or โลภ)

โลภ , ละโลบ = greed ,avarice . Mostly we use โลภ for things or greedy from the other people.

ตะกละ for things and possessions.

ตะกละ we normally use for food.