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| สำนวนไทย และ อุปมาอุปไมย Thai Idioms and Metaphors |  |
| parent categories | |||
| category items | ก ข ไม่กระดิกหู | maiF graL dikL huuR | "one who has learned the language but still can't read and write." |
| กบอยู่ในกะลา | gohpL yuuL naiM gaL laaM | "A big fish in a small pond"; a self-important person in a small community | |
| ก้มหน้าก้มตา | gohmF naaF gohmF dtaaM | to be engrossed, deep or immersed in or busy doing one single activity; to work attentively; to do something earnestly | |
| กรวดน้ำคว่ำขัน | gruaatL naamH khwamF khanR | to sever, break off or completely end a relationship with someone | |
| กระดูกขัดมัน | graL duukL khatL manM | miserly; stingy; niggardly | |
กระทบไหล่ | graL thohpH laiL | to rub elbows; to rub shoulders | |
| กระทบไหล่ดารา | graL thohpH laiL daaM raaM | to meet or see a celebrity (actor, actress, or star) in person; to rub elbows or rub shoulders with a celebrity (actor, actress, or star); to associate closely or mingle with a celebrity (actor, actress, or star) | |
| กรุแตก | grooL dtaaekL | to get a lot of money | |
| การปล่อยไก่ | gaanM bplaawyL gaiL | [colloquial, figurative, idiomatic noun phrase] booboo; stupid mistake; blunder; gaffe; faux pas | |
| กำเริบเสิบสาน | gamM reerpF seerpL saanR | [is] insolent or impudent | |
| เกลียดเข้าไส้ | gliiatL khaoF saiF | to hate someone's guts | |
| เกะกะระราน | gehL gaL raH raanM | to be rowdy, annoying by pushing people around or picking on people like a hooligan or lousy lager lout | |
| แก้เผ็ด | gaaeF phetL | to avenge; to retaliate; to take revenge; to revenge; to get back at; to give tit for tat | |
| แก้ลำ | gaaeF lamM | to avenge; to retaliate; to take revenge; to revenge; to get back at; to give tit for tat | |
| โกรธเป็นฟืนเป็นไฟ | gro:htL bpenM feuunM bpenM faiM | [is] furious | |
| ขโมยขโจร | khaL mooyM khaL jo:hnM | burglar; thief | |
| ขัดสน | khatL sohnR | [is] needy | |
| ขาประจำ | khaaR bpraL jamM | regular (usually used with a customer); a regular | |
| ข้ามวันข้ามคืน | khaamF wanM khaamF kheuunM | over day over night | |
| แข็งใจ | khaengR jaiM | [is] courageous; patient; resolved; determined | |
| คมในฝัก | khohmM naiM fakL | "To hide your light under a bushel basket."; [is] quietly brilliant; modest in one’s ability." | |
| คางคกขึ้นวอ | khaangM khohkH kheunF waawM | a poor person whom makes good and forgets his roots; having a swelled head | |
| งอนตุ๊บป่อง | ngaawnM dtoopH bpaawngL | to be infused with petulance (sulkiness, bad temper, ill humour, irritability, peevishness, pique, sullenness) so much that he or she could float or fly | |
| โง่เง่าเต่าตุ่น! | ngo:hF ngaoF dtaoL dtoonL | [derogatory] [is] unintelligent; brainless; dense; dim; half-witted; moronic; obtuse; simple; simple-minded; slow; slow-witted; thick; foolish; asinine; daft (informal); idiotic; imbecilic; inane; nonsensical; pointless; rash; senseless; unintelligent | |
| จับเสือมือเปล่า | japL seuuaR meuuM bplaaoL | to get something for nothing; earn a return without an investment | |
| ใจชื้น | jaiM cheuunH | to feel relieved; to have a sense of relief; to feel comfortable; to feel consoled; to feel or be at ease or relaxed | |
| ชักหน้าไม่ถึงหลัง | chakH naaF maiF theungR langR | cannot make ends meet; unble to live within one's means | |
| ใช้เต้าไต่ | chaiH dtaoF dtaiL | [informal idiom literally meaning any woman who] "uses her breasts to climb up the career stairs"—using sex or body to pave the way for her promotion. This is an intended (reversed) pun of ไต่เต้า.  | |
| ซื้อควายในหนอง | seuuH khwaaiM naiM naawngR | to purchase something sight unseen; to buy "a pig in a poke" | |
| เด็กอมมือ | dekL ohmM meuuM | a minor; an innocent person; a childish person | |
| ตกถังข้าวสาร | dtohkL thangR khaaoF saanR | to marry into money | |
| ตระหนี่ถี่เหนียว | dtraL neeL theeL niaaoR | [is] totally parsimonious; niggardly; a skinflint; stingy | |
| ตอกย้ำ | dtaawkL yaamH | to rub it in | |
| ตอกย้ำซ้ำเติม | dtaawkL yaamH samH dteermM | [rhymed form of ตอกย้ำ] to rub it in time and again to remind (someone of something) | |
| ตาต่อตา ฟันต่อฟัน | dtaaM dtaawL dtaaM fanM dtaawL fanM | to to toe; confrontationally; unwilling to take a step back | |
| ตายใจ | dtaaiM jaiM | [is] complacent; overconfident; assured [see notes] | |
| ตำข้าวสารกรอกหม้อ | dtamM khaaoF saanR graawkL maawF | to husk enough rich to fill (one day’s) pot — to do enough work to provide food to eat for only one day; to complete just enough for a single, temporary use | |
| ตีปลาหน้าไซ | dteeM bplaaM naaF saiM | to upset someone’s applecart; to disrupt someone’s plans | |
| ตีเหล็กตอนร้อน | dteeM lekL dtaawnM raawnH | to strike while the iron is hot | |
| ตุ๊บป่อง | dtoopH bpaawngL | [adverbial idiom used to describe someone who is filled with petulance or something filled with gas or air] floatingly | |
| ถวายพระเพลิง | thaL waaiR phraH phleerngM | to light the funeral pyre of a dead prince or king, to cremate; to denounce someone | |
| ถอดเขี้ยวถอดเล็บ | thaawtL khiaaoF thaawtL lepH | "[figurative] to remove the fangs or the claws; to take the bite out." | |
| ถอดเขี้ยวถอดเล็บ | thaawtL khiaaoF thaawtL lepH | "Remove the fangs, remove the claws" — [of a person] to become tame | |
| ถอยหลังเข้าคลอง | thaawyR langR khaoF khlaawngM | to be (ideologically) against forward progress | |
| ถังแตก | thangR dtaaekL | [is] broke; without money | |
| ถือไพ่เหนือกว่า | theuuR phaiF neuuaR gwaaL | to hold a trump card | |
| ทมิฬหินชาติ | thaH minM hinR naH chaatF | [showing sheer disapproval] inhumane, vicious, dangerous, savage, ruthless, depraved and of low birth, ill-born, low, base, degraded | |
| ทอดสะพาน | thaawtF saL phaanM | to encourage; initiate contact; offer an olive branch; extend a hand of friendship | |
| ทำอย่างสุกเอาเผากิน | thamM yaangL sookL aoM phaoR ginM | to botch up (something) | |
| นกต่อ | nohkH dtaawL | [negative connotation] a decoy [used to attract peopel's attention and deceive them] | |
| นอนกินบ้านกินเมือง | naawnM ginM baanF ginM meuuangM | [is] lazy; sleeps late without regard to what is happening | |
| นอนตาไม่หลับ | naawnM dtaaM maiF lapL | [is] unable to sleep; troubled | |
| นั่งชี้นิ้ว | nangF cheeH niuH | to order someone else around; be bossy | |
| นั่งไม่ติด | nangF maiF dtitL | to have ants in one's pants (to not be able to keep still because you are very excited or worried about something) | |
| น้ำคำ | namH khamM | [idiom for] words; speech; phrasing; sayings; expressions | |
| น้ำตาคลอเบ้า | namH dtaaM khlaawM baoF | [is] teary | |
| น้ำตาเช็ดหัวเข่า | namH dtaaM chetH huaaR khaoL | heartbroken; grief-stricken; weaping in grief | |
| น้ำตาตกใน | namH dtaaM dtohkL naiM | to grieve; [is] tormented; to cry silently to oneself | |
| น้ำท่วมปาก | naamH thuaamF bpaakL | "[Thai idiom meaning to be unable to speak or to be mouth-shut by an overwhelming influence; to be rendered speechless due to an imminent influence or one's own fear]." | |
| น้ำพักน้ำแรง | naamH phakH naamH raaengM | labor; effort; one's own strength; one's own exertions; labor of love | |
| น้ำมือ | namH meuuM | personal exertions; personal efforts; hand; hands; workmanship; craftsmanship; action | |
| น้ำเสียง | namH siiangR | tone of voice; attitudinal cadence | |
| นุ่งน้อยห่มน้อย | noongF naawyH hohmL naawyH | [sexual connotation] [is] naked; nude; scantily clad | |
| บีบน้ำตา | beepL namH dtaaM | to shed or cry crocodile tears | |
| ประชดประเทียดเสียดสี | bpraL chohtH bpraL thiiatF siiatL seeR | [is] satirical; ironical; acid; biting; caustic; cynical; sardonic; sarky (Brit. informal) | |
| ปล่อยไก่ | bplaawyL gaiL | [colloquial, figurative, idiomatic verb] to make a stupid or careless mistake; to blunder | |
| ปลาได้น้ำ | bplaaM daiF naamH | [lit.] a fish in water [fig.] "happy as a clam" | |
| ปิดทองหลังพระ | bpitL thaawngM langR phraH | [a Thai idiom meaning] to not seek praise for one's good deeds; to do good by stealth | |
| ปี่แตก | bpeeL dtaaekL | "to cry a river over or for someone." | |
| เป็นบ้าเป็นหลัง | bpenM baaF bpenM langR | [of one's infatuation for a person or thing] too earnest; too serious | |
| ผักชีโรยหน้า | phakL cheeM rooyM naaF | [metaphor] window dressing; gilding; improvements only on the surface | |
| ผิดตา | phitL dtaaM | unusual; untoward; strange | |
| ผิดผี | phitL pheeR | to violate custom or tradition; [especially] to have pre-marital relations with a woman from the north or northeast of Thailand | |
| ผิดฝาผิดตัว | phitL faaR phitL dtuaaM | [is] misshapen; mismatched | |
| ผิดเมีย | phitL miiaM | [of a man] to commit adultery | |
| ผิดสำแดง | phitL samR daaengM | to eat poisonous food | |
| เผือกร้อน | pheuuakL raawnH | "hot potato"; a difficult or controversial issue | |
| แผลใจ | phlaaeR jaiM | love's wound | |
| ฝรั่งขี้นก | faL rangL kheeF nohkH | [showing disapproval] a Thai follower of European of American customs; a Thai who puts on airs as if he or she was a Westerner; a Thai who apes Westerners | |
| ไพเราะเพราะพริ้ง | phaiM rawH phrawH phringH | [is] tuneful; euphonious; euphonic | |
| มาหลายวันแล้ว | maaM laaiR wanM laaeoH | a few days ago; many days ago | |
| มือขวา | meuuM khwaaR | righthand; right-hand person; specialty; right-hand man. | |
| มือเติบ | meuuM dteerpL | [critical of the way one spends his/her money] [is] lavish; liberal; open-handed; large-handed; generous; free; unstinting | |
| ไม่รู้ประสีประสา | maiF ruuH bpraL seeR bpraL saaR | [is] ill-mannered; unsophisticated; unpolished; uncultured | |
| ไม่เว้นแต่ละวัน | maiF wenH dtaaeL laH wanM | every day; daily; day in day out | |
| ยักย้ายถ่ายเท | yakH yaaiH thaaiL thaehM | to search for a remedy; look for a solution | |
| ยากเย็นแสนเข็ญ | yaakF yenM saaenR khenR | very difficult; very hard and complicated; arduous; extremely demanding; laborious; onerous; strenuous; uphill | |
| ย่ามใจ | yaamF jaiM | [negative connotation] [is] encouraged; emboldened; [is] rash; bold; [is] becoming emboldened; [is] becoming bolder | |
| ยื่นหมูยื่นแมว | yeuunF muuR yeuunF maaeoM | to give something in exchange; sway; provide a quid pro quo | |
| โยนหินถามทาง | yo:hnM hinR thaamR thaangM | to launch a trial ballon; test the waters; take a shot in the dark | |
| ร้องไห้ร้องห่ม | raawngH haiF raawngH hohmL | [สะอึกสะอื้น] | |
| รื่นหู | reuunF huuR | [is] euphonious; euphonic; euphonical | |
| เร่งมือ | rengF meuuM | to hurry or speed up [the work] | |
| เรือสองน้ำเรือสามน้ำ | reuuaM saawngR naamH reuuaM saamR naamH | boats used for a few years | |
| โรคภัยไข้เจ็บ | ro:hkF phaiM khaiF jepL | diseases; ailments | |
| ฤๅษีเลี้ยงลิง | reuuM seeR liiangH lingM | to bring up unruly children — "Like herding cats." | |
| ลงหลักปักฐาน | lohngM lakL bpakL thaanR | to settle or settle in a place, settle down in | |
| ลับลมคมใน | lapH lohmM khohmM naiM | [see ทะแม่ง] | |
| ลิงแก้แห | lingM gaaeF haaeR | (creating) confusion and havoc; [lit.] a monkey trying to repair a fishing net | |
| ลืมหูลืมตา | leuumM huuR leuumM dtaaM | to have a look around | |
| ลุ่ม ๆ ดอน ๆ | loomF loomF daawnM daawnM | undulating; inconsistent | |
| ลุ่ม ๆ ดอน ๆ | loomF loomF daawnM daawnM | life's ups and downs | |
| ลูกมือ | luukF meuuM | underling; assistant; helper; workmen | |
| เลียแผล | liiaM phlaaeR | to lick one's wounds: to recover from defeat or disappointment | |
| วัวเคยขาม้าเคยขี่ | wuaaM kheeuyM khaaR maaH kheeuyM kheeL | [is] familiary with; understanding of; sympathetic with | |
| วัวพันหลัก | wuaaM phanM lakL | to go round and round; go nowhere | |
| วัวลืมตีน | wuaaM leuumM dteenM | a person who forgets his humble roots | |
| ไว้ลาย | waiH laaiM | "to leave behind one’s reputation; to stand on one’ dignity." | |
| ศาลเตี้ย | saanR dtiiaF | kangaroo court; court of free will | |
| สมรู้ร่วมคิด | sohmR ruuH ruaamF khitH | to work hand in glove with someone; to be an accomplice or henchman | |
| สองจิตสองใจ | saawngR jitL saawngR jaiM | [is] of two minds; hesitant; doubtful; undecided | |
| สำออย | samR aawyM | to pretend to cry or be teary [to gain sympathy] | |
| สำออย | samR aawyM | to implore; to wheedle; coax; cajole; entice; inveigle; persuade; to beseech in a solicitous manner | |
| สิ้นพยศ | sinF phaH yohtH | to become tame. | |
| เสกสรรค์ปั้นเรื่อง | saehkL sanR bpanF reuuangF | to spin a yarn | |
| เส้นผมบังภูเขา | senF phohmR bangM phuuM khaoR | "A strand of hair before the eye obscures whole mountains; A leaf before the eye shuts out mountains; is unable to see the woods for the trees." | |
| เสือนอนกิน | seuuaR naawnM ginM | independently wealthy person; person living off investments | |
| ไส้กลวง | saiF gluaangM | [figurative] [of feelings] having an empty feeling in the stomach; [of appearances] deceptive; [of objects] having a hollow cavity or center; [of plants] having a hollow center in the fruits due to lack of calcium and boron | |
| หนักเอาเบาสู้ | nakL aoM baoM suuF | a person who tries very hard and is willing to take any work he can get | |
| หน้านิ่วคิ้วขมวด | naaF niuF khiuH khaL muaatL | [หน้างอ] | |
| หน้าใหญ่ใจโต | naaF yaiL jaiM dto:hM | [showing disapproval] [is] generous; broad-minded; kind; kind-hearted | |
| หมดตูด | mohtL dtuutL | "...has had their butt(s) kicked!" | |
| หมาตาย เห็บโดด | maaR dtaaiM hepL do:htL | Rats abandoning a sinking ship. | |
| หมาในรางหญ้า | maaR naiM raangM yaaF | A dog in a manger | |
| หมูไปไก่มา | muuR bpaiM gaiL maaM | [is] mutually dependent | |
| หลังติดฝา | langR dtitL faaR | to have one's back to/against the wall (to have very serious problems which limit the ways in which you can act) | |
| หลังพิงฝา | langR phingM faaR | to have one's back against the wall (figuratively) | |
| หัวเราะจนฟันกระเด็น | huaaR rawH johnM fanM graL denM | to laugh oneself silly | |
| หาเช้ากินค่ำ | haaR chaaoH ginM khamF | to live from hand to mouth; [is] just able to put food on the table but not to accumulate wealth | |
| หามรุ่งหามค่ำ | haamR roongF haamR khamF | day and night; around the clock | |
| หูฝาด | huuR faatL | to hear things; to hear mistakenly, to mishear; acoustic or audio illusion | |
| เหงื่อกาฬแตก | ngeuuaL gaanM dtaaekL | [used in spoken Thai] to break out into a cold sweat; to sweat profusely at the moment before one is dying | |
| เห็นขี้ดีกว่าไส้ | henR kheeF deeM gwaaL saiF | to believe that others are better than members of one's own family | |
| เหมือนกันราวกับแกะ | meuuanR ganM raaoM gapL gaeL | [two objects or persons] to look exactly identical—see notes. | |
| อดตาหลับขับตานอน | ohtL dtaaM lapL khapL dtaaM naawnM | to go without sleep; to be burning the midnight oil | |
| อลวนอลเวง | ohnM laH wohnM ohnM laH waehngM | disordered; chaotic; disorganized; jumbled; mixed up; topsy-turvy; untidy; tumultuous; wild; boisterous; turbulent; unruly and noisy; uproarious | |
| อาบเหงื่อต่างน้ำ | aapL ngeuuaL dtaangL naamH | make a living by hard labor | |
| อาภัพเหมือนปูน | aaM phapH meuuanR bpuunM | to have one's hard work ignored | |
| อิจฉาตาร้อน | itL chaaR dtaaM raawnH | [is] envious; extremely jealous | |
| เอาหัวเดินต่างตีน | aoM huaaR deernM dtaangL dteenM | to do what is virtually impossible to do | |
| เอื้อเฟื้อเผื่อแผ่ | euuaF feuuaH pheuuaL phaaeL | [is] considerate, helpful and generous | |
| ไอ้แก่หัวงู! | aiF gaaeL huaaR nguuM | [colloquial expletive idiom showing strong disapproval] a dirty rotten tricky old man who likes to seduce or like seducing young girls; a dirty rotten tricky old man who performs an indecent and sexual act against a girl | |
| ไฮโซบัตโลว์คลาส | haiM so:hM batL lo:hM khlaatF | high-society but low-class" — [Thai slang for] a socialite who is crude, vulgar, indecent, inelegant and unsophisticated [usually gay male jargon] | |
| รุ่นแตกลายงา | roonF dtaaekL laaiM ngaaM | [is] aged; of old age; wrinkled and wizened | |
| เสียงนกเสียงกา | siiangR nohkH siiangR gaaM | uninformed chatter; noise of the ignorant crowd | |
| แกว่งเท้าหาเสี้ยน | gwaengL thaaoH haaR siianF | to look for trouble; make trouble | |
| หาเข็มบนภูเขา | haaR khemR bohnM phuuM khaoR | to find a needle in a haystack | |
| แมวเฝ้าปลาย่าง | maaeoM faoF bplaaM yaangF | "Letting the fox guard the henhouse" | |
| ลบรอยตีนตะขาบ | lohpH raawyM dteenM dtaL khaapL | to erase the history of military intervention in politics | |
| เชือดไก่ให้ลิงดู | cheuuatF gaiL haiF lingM duuM | to exact public punishment on someone; cause fear among the public by singling out a few for punishment | |
| ไม่มีขี้ตีน | maiF meeM kheeF dteenM | [is] incomparable; has no equal | |
ตั้งแต่ไม้จิ้มฟันยันเรือรบ dtangF dtaaeL maaiH jimF fanM yanM reuuaM rohpH the entire gamut; from soup to nuts | |||
| เหรียญอีกด้านหนึ่ง | riianR eekL daanF neungL | [metaphoric] the other side of the coin | |
| นั่งกินนอนกิน | nangF ginM naawnM ginM | to live a life of luxury; live comfortably | |
| กินนอกกินใน | ginM naawkF ginM naiM | to embezzle; cheat; take money under the table | |
| เก็บใส่ลิ้นชัก | gepL saiL linH chakH | to postpone consideration (of an issue); table a motion [American usage] | |
| เหยียบขี้ไก่ไม่ฝ่อ | yiiapL kheeF gaiL maiF faawL | [is] lazy; indolent; failing to make any effort to get something done. | |
| หนามยอกอก | naamR yaawkF ohkL | a thorn in the side; an irritation | |
| แกว่งตีนหาเสี้ยน | gwaengL dteenM haaR siianF | to look for trouble; make trouble | |
| สากกระเบือยันเรือรบ | saakL graL beuuaM yanM reuuaM rohpH | everything under the sun; from soup to nuts; full service | |
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