List of Thai language idioms

Idioms in the Thai language are usually derived from various natural or cultural references. Many include rhyming and/or alliteration, and their distinction from aphorisms and proverbs are not always clear. This is a list of such idioms.

Idiom	RTGS	Literal translation	Idiomatic meaning	Notes
? ? ???????????	ko kho mai kradik hu	ko, kho (first two consonants of the Thai alphabet), not wiggling an ear	an illiterate person ^[1]
????????????????	kong kwian kam kwian	cart wheel, cart spokes	What one does will be returned by karma . ^[1]
????????	kon kradok		letting praise get the better of oneself ^[1]
????????????	kop nai kala khrop	frog underneath a coconut shell	one who has little knowledge or experience but thinks of oneself as wise ^[1]
??????????	kop lueak nai	frogs being choosy of masters	one who consistently wants to change superiors ^[1]	from Aesop's The Frogs Who Desired a King
???????	kom na	bow down one's head	to endure a difficult situation ^[1]
????????????	kom na kom ta	bow down one's head and eyes	to concentrate on something ^[1]
???????????	kam tam sanong		what goes around comes around ^{[ citation needed ]}
??????????????	krachang na yai	big-faced awning	brassy ^[1]
?????????????	krachoe kon rua	bamboo basket with a leaky bottom	being a spendthrift ^[1]
????????????	kradangnga lon fai	singed Cananga odorata flower	a woman who has been married before, and is therefore better at pleasing men ^[1]
????????????	kradi dai nam	gourami fish finding water	a person showing a lot of gladness and excitement ^[1]
??????????	kraduk khaeng	(having) hard bones	not dying easily ^[1]
?????????????	kraduk rong dai	calling bones ( personification )	a murder where certain effects lead to the conviction of the murderer ^[1]
??????????	kraduk on	(having) soft bones	having little fighting skills ^[1]
??????????????	kratai tuen tum	panicking hare	one who panics without giving due consideration ^[1]	from the Daddabha Jataka tale of The Noise the Hare Heard
????????????	kratai sam kha	three-legged hare	steadfastly denying something ^[1]	also appears as ?????????????? ( kratai kha diao , one-legged hare)
?????????????????	kratai mai chan	hare wishing for the moon	a man interested in a woman of higher status ^[1]
????????????????	krathon thong phra rong	spittoon in a royal hall	one who is consistently ordered by many people to run their errands ^[1]
???????????	kramom bang	(having a) thin fontanelle/skull	easily falling ill ^[1]	also appears as ???????? ( khamom bang )
???????????????	klom pen luk manao	round as a lime	crafty and slippery ^[1]	also appears as ????????????????? ( kling pen luk manao , rolling like a lime)
????????????????	klap nuea klap tua	turn one's flesh and body	to change one's bad ways for the better ^[1]
??????????????????????	klap na mue pen lang mue	turn from the palm to the back of the hand	to completely change for the opposite ^[1]	also appears as ?????????????????????? ( phlik na mue pen lang mue )
??????????????	kla nak mak bin	so bold, usually ends up chipped	being too bold it usually results in danger ^[1]
?????????????	kuan nam hai khun	stir water and make it cloudy	to inflame a calm situation and cause disruption ^[1]
?????????????????????	kwa thua cha suk nga ko mai	By the time the beans cook, the sesame seeds have burnt.	being indecisive, resulting in losses from failure to act ^[1]
??????????????	ko laeo tong san	start it, must weave it	One must finish what one begins. ^[1]
????	kala	coconut shell	worthless ^[1]
????????????	kat hang tua eng	bite one's own tail	speaking incoherently ^[1]
?????????	ka khap prik	crow holding a chilli pepper in its mouth	a dark-skinned person wearing bright red clothes ^[1]
????????	ka long rang	lost crow in another's nest	one who refuses to return home; a tramp ^[1]
???????????????	kam khi di kwa kam tot	Better to grab faeces than flatulence.	Receiving anything is better than nothing at all. ^[1]
??????????????????	kamphaeng mi hu pratu mi ta	Walls have ears, doors have eyes.	One should always mind their conduct; secrets can be revealed. ^[1]	also appears as ???????????????????? ( kamphaeng mi hu pratu mii chong ; walls have ears, doors have cracks)
????????????????	kamlang kin kamlang non	eating and sleeping	(of infants/toddlers) being of eating and sleeping age ^[1]
????????	king koi	little finger	tiny ^[1]
????????????	king thong bai yok	gold branch, jade leaf	(of a marrying couple) suited for each other ^[1]
???????????????	king kluea kin kapi	eating salt and shrimp paste	enduring trouble and poverty ^[1]
????????????	kin klaep kin ram	eating chaff and bran	stupid ^[1]
????????????????????	kin khao tom krachom klang	eat boiled rice from the middle (of the bowl)	to do something in a hurry and without deliberation, resulting in harm ^[1]
?????????	kin tam nam	eat by the water flow	to receive gifts or bribes without actively asking ^[1]
??????????????????	kin thi lap khai thi chaeng	eat in secret, tell in public	to publicize what was done in secret ^[1]
????????	kin nam ta	drink tears	to cry, to be in sorrow ^[1]
????????????????	kin nam ta tang khao	drink tears as a substitute for rice/food	to be so engrossed in tears and sorrow one is not eating ^[1]
????????????	kin nam tai sok	drink water from another's elbows	(usually of "minor wives") to be forced to accept subordinate status ^[1]
??????????????????	kin nam phrik thuai kao	eat an old bowl of nam phrik	to (return to) live with one's previous wife ^[1]
???????????????????	kin nam phrik thuai diao	eat only one bowl of nam phrik	to live with only one wife ^[1]
??????????????????	kin nam mai phuea laeng	drink water without sparing any for drought	to spend what one has without consideration for the future ^[1]
??????????????	kin nam hen pling	drink water while seeing a leech	to be disconcerted, as in when one means to drink water but sees a leech in it ^[1]
?????????????????????	kin bon ruean khi bon langkha	to eat in the house then defecate on the roof	to be ungrateful ^[1]
??????????	kin bun kao	eat old merit	to receive the results of good deeds from past lives; (of wealthy persons) to live off old wealth, e.g. inheritance ^[1]
??????????????	kin pun ron thong	eat lime, feel the belly burn	to act conspicuously (for fear of one's deeds being revealed) ^[1]
?????????	kin rang taen	eat a wasp nest	to be irritable ^[1]
????????????	kin lom kin laeng	eat dry wind	not having any benefit ^[1]
????????????	kin set kin loei		to misappropriate a small portion for oneself ^[1]
????????	kin samrap	eat from a served set	to eat fine food ^[1]
???????????? ?????????????	kin muean mu yu muean ma	eat like a pig, live like a dog	messy and untidy ^[1]	also appears as ??????????? ???????????? ( kin yang mu yu yang ma )
??????????????	kin lek kin lai	eat iron, eat lai (a mythical metal)	extraordinarily able to bear labour or pain ^[1]
????????????? ???????????????	kin yu kap pak yak yu kap thong		to know but pretend not to ^[1]
??????????	ku mai klap	not returning after a yodelling call	not listening to objections; unstoppable ^[1]
?????????????????	kep dok mai ruam ton	pick flowers from the same tree	to be together as a result of having made merit together in a previous life ^[1]	also appears as ????????????????? ( det dok mai ruam ton )
???????????????????	kep bia tai thun ran	pick up cowry shells under the platform	to make small savings ^[1]
??????????????? ?????????????????????	kliat tua kin khai kliat pla lai kin nam kaeng	hate the animal but eat its eggs, hate eels but drink the broth	to dislike someone, yet want to receive benefits from them ^[1]
??????????????	kluea chim kluea	salt dipped in salt	(of two persons) not conceding to each other ^[1]
?????????????	kluea pen non	salt becoming maggots	betrayal by close family or friends ^[1]	also appears as ??????????? ( sai pen non , innards becoming maggots)
??????????	kiao koi	hook (each other's) little fingers	to show closeness or affection ^[1]
???????????????	kiao faek mung pa	cutting vetiver grass to roof the forest	to attempt something beyond one's abilities ^[1]
?????????????????	kwaeng thao ha sian	swing one's foot in search of a splinter	to get into trouble ^[1]
?????	kae dam	black sheep	one who acts differently from the group ^[1]
????????????????	klai kluea kin dang	near salt, eat lye	not knowing the value of something readily accessible, instead opting for something inferior ^[1]
????????????????	kai kae mae pla chon	old chicken, mother snakehead fish	a crafty old woman ^[1]
??????????????	kai bin mai tok din	A chicken can fly without falling to the ground.	an area of densely situated buildings ^[1]
??????????	kai rong bon	second-rated cock in the ring	one who serves as a substitute and may be called into service ^[1]
???????????? ???????????	kai hen tin ngu ngu hen nom kai	chicken sees snake's feet, snake sees chicken's boobs	both knowing of each other's secrets ^[1]
???????	kai on	young chick	one who has little experience and is easily deceived ^[1]	also appears as ????????????? ( kai on son khan )
????????????	klai puen thiang	far from the noon cannon	(of a person) simple, as a result of living far from development ^[1]
?????????????????	khon na khaeng mai ruang	shin hairs not falling off	(of a wealthy person) not inconvenienced by having to pay a large, yet relatively small to them, amount of money ^[1]
????????	khon hua luk	hairs of the head standing up	very frightened or scared ^[1]
?????????????	khon sai khao wat	carry sand into the wat	to help benefit the public/community ^[1]
???????????	khanom phasom nam ya	khanom chin with nam ya sauce	equal and befitting each other ^[1]
?????????????????????	khom khao kho khuen hai kin ya	force cattle by its horns to eat grass	to force someone to do as one wants ^[1]
???????????	khamin kap pun	turmeric and lye	(of two persons) argumentative when meeting each other; disliking each other ^[1]
???????????????	khwang ngu mai phon kho	throw a snake no farther than one's own neck	to do something resulting in negative consequences for oneself ^[1]
??????????	khwan pha sak	axe splitting a carcass	(of a person's manner of speech) direct and inconsiderate ^[1]
??????????????	khong hai taphai bap		to blame others when something is lost or missing ^[1]
?????????????????	kha kao tao liang		a long-familiar person; a long-serving servant ^[1]
????????????????????	kha nok chao bao nok nai		one whose acts defy order or tradition ^[1]
???????????????	kham nam kham thale	cross over water and sea	to fight through obstacles in order to succeed ^[1]	also appears as ?????????????? ( kham nam kham tha )
????????????????	khai pha ao na rod	sell cloth to save face	to sacrifice important property to save one's name ^[1]
????????????????????	khai na wan la ha bia		to cause embarrassment every day ^[1]
???????????	khao kon bat	rice at the bottom of an alms bowl	food left over from monks' meals, which temple boys eat ^[1]
??????????????	khao daeng kaeng ron	brown rice , hot soup	kindness, favours ^[1]
??????????????	khao yak mak phaeng	rice being difficult, areca nuts being expensive	a state of famine ^[1]
??????????????????	khao luea kluea im	rice being in excess, salt being satiating	a country with plentiful food ^[1]
??????????????	khao mai pla man	new rice, tasty fish	the state of something new being regarded as good; usually referring to newlyweds ^[1]
??????? ????????	khing ko ra kha ko raeng		(of two persons) both being hot-tempered, neither one backing down ^[1]
?????????????????	khi chang chap takkataen	ride an elephant to catch grasshoppers	to invest a lot for little gains ^[1]
??????????????????????	khi kon yai hai dek hen	defecate a large turd for a child to see	to do something inappropriate in front of a child ^[1]
???????????	khi phae chuan ti	loser calling for a fight	to be a sore loser ^[1]
???????????????	khi mai hai ma kin	defecate and refuse it for dogs to eat	to be a miser ^[1]
?????????????	khi rat thot long	make a mess and blame the toilet hole	to blame others for one's own fault ^[1]
????????????????	khuen ton mai sut yot	climb a tree to the very top	to reach the highest possible rank ^[1]
???????????????????	khut duai pak thak duai ta	dig with the mouth, scrape with the eyes	to display contempt with words and looks ^[1]
?????????????	khut din kin ya	dig the earth, eat the grass	to do what little work which just feeds oneself ^[1]
????????????	khut bo lo pla	dig a pond, lure the fish	to plot and deceive others for one's own benefit ^[1]
??????????????? ??????????????	khun nang chai pho mae hin ngae chai ta yai	Nobles are not one's parents; rough stones are not one's grandparents.	One should not trust others apart from one's parents and grandparents. ^[1]
????????????	khun mai chueang	fed but not tame	ungrateful ^[1]	also appears as ?????????? ( khun mai khuen )
??????????????	khen khrok khuen khao	push a rice pounder up a hill	to engage in an extremely difficult task requiring a lot of effort and patience, sometimes beyond one's capacity ^[1]
????????????????	khao dai khao khem	in the thread and the needle	almost succeeding, but susceptible to be foiled by a small mistake or interruption ^[1]
??????????????????????	khao tam trok ok tam pratu	enter by the street, exit by the door	to follow tradition in asking to marry ^[1]
?????????????????????	khao thuean ya luem phra	enter the forest, do not forget the machete	to be cautious ^[1]
????????????	khao rok khao phong	go into the bushes	to say or do something unrelated or incorrectly as a result of lack of expertise ^[1]
???????????????????	khao hu sai thalu hu khwa	enter the left ear, go throughout the right	not learning what one is taught ^[1]
?????????????????????	khian duai mue lop duai tin	write with the hand, erase with the foot	to praise but then later destroy ^[1]
???????????????????	khian suea hai wua klua	draw a tiger to scare the cattle	to do something to frighten the other party ^[1]
????? ? ??? ?	khiao khiao daeng daeng	green and red	colourfully dressed women ^[1]
????????????????	khaek mai dai rap choen	uninvited guest	undesirable people or animals likely to cause damage or inconvenience, usually referring to thieves or certain animals ^[1]
???????????	khaeng kap wela	race with time	to do something quickly ^[1]
????????????????????? ??????????????????????????	khaeng ruea khaeng phae khaeng dai khaeng bun khaeng watsana khaeng mai dai	Competing in boat racing, can be done; competing in fate and fortune, cannot be done.	to know one's own abilities and not attempt what is incapable of ^[1]
???????	khwaen nuam	hang boxing gloves	retire from boxing; quit doing something ^[1]
????????	khai nai hin	egg in the rock	something which is meticulously cared for ^[1]
?????????	som nam na		You get what you deserve ^{[ citation needed ]}
?????????????	rit lueat kap pu	to squeeze blood from a crab	attempting to obtain something from somebody (especially money) that they do not have or cannot give up
??????????? ???????????????	nam thuam thung phak bung rongreng	The water floods the field, [but] the morning glory is sparse	Speaking a lot, but the content is small.

References [ edit ]

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be ^bf ^bg ^bh ^bi ^bj ^bk ^bl ^bm ^bn ^bo ^bp ^bq ^br ^bs ^bt ^bu ^bv ^bw ^bx ^by ^bz ^ca ^cb ^cc ^cd ^ce ^cf ^cg ^ch ^ci ^cj ^ck ^cl ^cm ^cn ^co ^cp ^cq ^cr ^cs ^ct ^cu ^cv ^cw ^cx ^cy ^cz ^da ^db ^dc ^dd ^de ^df ^dg ^dh ^di ^dj ^dk ^dl ^dm ^dn ^do Royal Institute (2003). ??????????????????????????? ?.?. 2542 (Royal Institute Dictionary, B.E. 2542) (in Thai). Bangkok: Nanmee Books Publications. ISBN 974-9588-04-5 . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02.

[rid-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax ^ay ^az ^ba ^bb ^bc ^bd ^be ^bf ^bg ^bh ^bi ^bj ^bk ^bl ^bm ^bn ^bo ^bp ^bq ^br ^bs ^bt ^bu ^bv ^bw ^bx ^by ^bz ^ca ^cb ^cc ^cd ^ce ^cf ^cg ^ch ^ci ^cj ^ck ^cl ^cm ^cn ^co ^cp ^cq ^cr ^cs ^ct ^cu ^cv ^cw ^cx ^cy ^cz ^da ^db ^dc ^dd ^de ^df ^dg ^dh ^di ^dj ^dk ^dl ^dm ^dn ^do Royal Institute (2003). ??????????????????????????? ?.?. 2542 (Royal Institute Dictionary, B.E. 2542) (in Thai). Bangkok: Nanmee Books Publications. ISBN 974-9588-04-5 . Archived from the original on 2009-03-02.

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