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Thai idioms


khunsanuk

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some that are very close to the english version:

 

Ao kung foi pai tok pla kapong (to use a shrimp to catch a sea bass): take a small fish to catch a big one

Ma hao mai kat (dogs that bark, do not bite): barking dogs seldom bite

Ying thi diaow dai nok song tua (shoot one time and get two birds): to kill two birds with one stone

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and some where either environment or subject and object change a bit:

 

Son chorake hai wai nam (teach a crocodile to swim): teach your grandmother to suck eggs

Khao muang ta liu hai liu ta tam (entering a town where people wink, wink as well): in Rome, do as the Romans do

Ngiap pen pao sak (quiet as blowing a pestle): to be quiet as a grave

Luang kho ngu hao (put the hand in the cobra?s neck): to put one?s head in the lion?s mouth

Ni sua pa chorakhe (escape from the tiger, meet the crocodile): out of the frying pan into the fire

Pak wan kon priaow (sweet mouth, sour bottom): he has honey in the mouth and a razor at the girdle

Ngom khem nai mahasamut (to dive for a needle in the ocean): to look for a needle in the haystack

Pla tua diaow nao men mot thang khong (one rotten fish makes all stink): one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel

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A few years ago I bought a thin hardbound book at Asia Books that had Thai idioms with illustrations and English transation AND a corresponding or similar English idiom. I gave it to my then GF as a parting gift.

 

I'd love to have that book now but, as they say, ook haak dee gwaa rak mai pen [better to be brokenhearted than never having been in love].

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Not quite idioms, but...

 

When out drinking with friends

'Yung khai' literally 'mozzies (laying) eggs' - is 'breeding mosquitoes' - the level of beer in your glass hasn't moved in the last ten minutes.

 

When watching football

'Khai mai tack' literally 'the egg has not broken' - scoreless draw, or up to that point in the game, neither side has scored (0 -0). 'Khai tack!' - one side has finally scored...

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