dumper Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Mai pen sa-po-lot = This is not pineapple (An expression used when food doesn't taste good.) This phrase got me thinking about other idioms. In English we have idioms like: by the skin of your teeth like a rat up a drainpipe raining cats and dogs It would be cool to find out some Thai idioms. Preferably something funny that could get a laugh when I use it in conversation. I would be interested and grateful if any Thai speakers could give me some suggestions. I hope if people are interested. We could have some fun with this topic ! Khop khun kap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kayle Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 First of all, it is actually "Mai-pen-sap-pa-rod" Cannot think of any funny idiom right now, but will be back later! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightblackeyed Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Mai Pen Sabpa Rot means when you eat , but a taste is not good or when you do something but it does not work well any meaning ? You really wanna know Thai language ? :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted April 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 OK, so it's - Mai pen sa(b)pa rod/t Now I have the pronunciation thanks. I thought this phrase was only for food. lightblackeyed are you saying it can apply to anything. So if something bad happens I can say this, OK. Yes, I'd like to know more Thai language ! What about any other phrases like this, could you suggest any please ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pr0nmaster Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 to my knowledge it can be applied to anything ....not just food.... like saying "thats not cool" ...."its no good" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightblackeyed Posted April 28, 2006 Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 Tam Mai Tur Yaak Ru Yaak Hen Jing Jing Lai ....!!! Su Ru Jing Jing lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted April 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2006 S_Plutonium, thanks for confirming this can be used in many situations. Angel_of_Death, thanks for the new phrase, so I can say. My pen ya doubt. As well. Tam Mai Tur Yaak Ru Yaak Hen Jing Jing Lai ....!!! Su Ru Jing Jing lightblackeyed Nice one, what does it mean ? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightblackeyed Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 You wanna know those word mean ? lol You have a Thai friend ? Ask .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikee_Moose Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Its apparently a very old saying used mainly by country folk. So my source tells me 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightblackeyed Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Am I very old ?? :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zleepy Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Don't ask me how common these are. Here's a few out of a Thai/English book of proverbs.. (called "Have Fun With Thai Proverbs" by Dr. Duangtip Somnapan Surintaitip for anyone interested... ) =================================== A bad tradesman blames his tools = ram mai dee, thot pi thot klong (when you don't dance well, blame it on the flute and drums). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Barking dogs seldom bight = ma hao mai kat ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To carry coals to Newcastle = ao maphrao hao pai khai suan (taking coconuts to sell in the orchard). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When the cat's away the mice will play = maow mai yu, nu raroeng. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don't cross the bridge till you get to it = ya ti ton pai kon khai (Don't beat yourself before you get a fever). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Out of the frying-pan, into the fire = nee sua pa jorakhe (escape from the tiger, meet the crocodile) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Make hay while the sun shines = nam keun hai reep tak (when the water rises, hurry to get some).. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When in Rome, do as the Romans do = khao muang ta liu hai liu ta tam (when entering a town where people wink, wink as they do). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rome was not built in a day = cha cha, dai phra lem ngam (making a knife slowly will get you a fine knife).. =================================== Enjoy.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted April 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Zleepy - absolutely fantastic. Thanks a lot mate. This is exactly the kind of thing I was wanting. Sure to have a few laughs with these ! 'Have Fun with Thai proverbs' - Ebay here I come ! CHOCK DEE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted April 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Tam Mai Tur Yaak Ru Yaak Hen Jing Jing Lai ....!!! Su Ru Jing Jing lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PattayaDaz Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Try these for a good laugh.. SEE SOR HAI KWAI FUNG........ Great when you have explained the same thing four times to some fool in a bar.. It means....''Playing the violin for a buffalo'' In other words wasting your time on a creature too dumb to appreciate it.. or WUA GARE CHOP GIN YA OON Say this when you see an old duffer with a young girl... It means...''Old Buffaloes like to eat young grass'' and last.. RAK PEE SIA DAI NONG..... Dunno when to use this but it is something like ''the grass is greener'' an it means...''love the older sister...but yearn for her younger sister'' Enjoy..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted April 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 PattayaDaz, superb mate. As we say in English - you have hit the nail on the head ! Looking forward to having some laughs with these. Thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted May 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Two quick questions. I have read in English that there is a Thai saying: a day without prawns is a day without sunshine. Is that right ? How would you say this phrase. Secondly, is there an equivalent Thai phrase to the English phrase: a fool and his money are soon parted. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricci143_tw Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Mai pen sap-pa-rod = not good, suck, bad etc. Even now, we still use this word. We can say when someone can not work well as their duties so we can say " Tum-ngan mai pen sap-pa-rod loey " Have you guys heard of "Kob nai ka-la" before? In english, a Frog is in a coconut shell. It means someone who don't know anything, don't like to find something or knowledge new, don't have a friend and like to stay alone, etc. also this one "Mhaa mong krueang-bin" In english, a Dog looks at a aeroplane It means a man loves a woman who is richer and more eminent than he is so he thinks himself that he doesn't suit her at all. (I'm not sure the word "eminent") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted December 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Thanks Ricci143_tw. Much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacob26 Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 ¹¡ à ¢Ò äÃè ¢Ñ¹ = nok khao mai kun Ask your sources about this one... not about me though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gili_gili Posted December 30, 2006 Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 once i was taught "don't teach a crocodile how to swim" but i forgot how it's said in Thai. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumper Posted January 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 cherryberry, gili gili, jacob26 - thanks for suggesting some more phrases. Thanks very much, cherryberry for translating these. Sanook dumper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now