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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ก ข ไม่กระดิกหู | ko kho mai kradik hu | ko, kho (first two consonants of the Thai alphabet), not wiggling an ear | an illiterate person | ||
| กงเกวียนกำเกวียน | kong kwian kam kwian | cart wheel, cart spokes | What one does will be returned by karma. | ||
| ก้นกระดก | kon kradok | letting praise get the better of oneself | |||
| กบในกะลาครอบ | kop nai kala khrop | frog underneath a coconut shell | one who has little knowledge or experience but thinks of oneself as wise | ||
| กบเลือกนาย | kop lueak nai | frogs being choosy of masters | one who consistently wants to change superiors | from Aesop's The Frogs Who Desired a King | |
| ก้มหน้า | kom na | bow down one's head | to endure a difficult situation | ||
| ก้มหน้าก้มตา | kom na kom ta | bow down one's head and eyes | to concentrate on something | ||
| กรรมตามสนอง | kam tam sanong | what goes around comes around | |||
| กระชังหน้าใหญ่ | krachang na yai | big-faced awning | |||
| กระเชอก้นรั่ว | krachoe kon rua | bamboo basket with a leaky bottom | being a spendthrift | ||
| กระดังงาลนไฟ | kradangnga lon fai | singed Cananga odorata flower | a woman who has been married before, and is therefore better at pleasing men | ||
| กระดี่ได้น้ำ | kradi dai nam | gourami fish finding water | a person showing a lot of gladness and excitement | ||
| กระดูกแข็ง | kraduk khaeng | (having) hard bones | not dying easily | ||
| กระดูกร้องได้ | kraduk rong dai | calling bones (personification) | a murder where certain effects lead to the conviction of the murderer | ||
| กระดูกอ่อน | kraduk on | (having) soft bones | having little fighting skills | ||
| กระต่ายตื่นตูม | kratai tuen tum | panicking hare | one who panics without giving due consideration | from the Daddabha Jataka tale of The Noise the Hare Heard | |
| กระต่ายสามขา | kratai sam kha | three-legged hare | steadfastly denying something | also appears as กระต่ายขาเดียว (kratai kha diao, one-legged hare) | |
| กระต่ายหมายจันทร์ | kratai mai chan | hare wishing for the moon | a man interested in a woman of higher status | ||
| กระโถนท้องพระโรง | krathon thong phra rong | spittoon in a royal hall | one who is consistently ordered by many people to run their errands | ||
| กระหม่อมบาง | kramom bang | (having a) thin fontanelle/skull | easily falling ill | also appears as ขม่อมบาง (khamom bang) | |
| กลมเป็นลูกมะนาว | klom pen luk manao | round as a lime | crafty and slippery | also appears as กลิ้งเป็นลูกมะนาว (kling pen luk manao, rolling like a lime) | |
| กลับเนื้อกลับตัว | klap nuea klap tua | turn one's flesh and body | to change one's bad ways for the better | ||
| กลับหน้ามือเป็นหลังมือ | klap na mue pen lang mue | turn from the palm to the back of the hand | to completely change for the opposite | also appears as พลิกหน้ามือเป็นหลังมือ (phlik na mue pen lang mue) | |
| กล้านักมักบิ่น | kla nak mak bin | so bold, usually ends up chipped | being too bold it usually results in danger | ||
| กวนน้ำให้ขุ่น | kuan nam hai khun | stir water and make it cloudy | to inflame a calm situation and cause disruption | ||
| กว่าถั่วจะสุกงาก็ไหม้ | 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 | ||
| ก่อแล้วต้องสาน | ko laeo tong san | start it, must weave it | One must finish what one begins. | ||
| กะลา | kala | coconut shell | worthless | ||
| กัดหางตัวเอง | kat hang tua eng | bite one's own tail | speaking incoherently | ||
| กาคาบพริก | ka khap prik | crow holding a chilli pepper in its mouth | a dark-skinned person wearing bright red clothes | ||
| กาหลงรัง | ka long rang | lost crow in another's nest | one who refuses to return home; a tramp | ||
| กำขี้ดีกว่ากำตด | kam khi di kwa kam tot | Better to grab faeces than flatulence. | Receiving anything is better than nothing at all. | ||
| กำแพงมีหูประตูมีตา | kamphaeng mi hu pratu mi ta | Walls have ears, doors have eyes. | One should always mind their conduct; secrets can be revealed. | also appears as กำแพงมีหูประตูมีช่อง (kamphaeng mi hu pratu mii chong; walls have ears, doors have cracks) | |
| กำลังกินกำลังนอน | kamlang kin kamlang non | eating and sleeping | (of infants/toddlers) being of eating and sleeping age | ||
| กิ่งก้อย | king koi | little finger | tiny | ||
| กิ่งทองใบหยก | king thong bai yok | gold branch, jade leaf | (of a marrying couple) suited for each other | ||
| กินเกลือกินกะปิ | king kluea kin kapi | enduring trouble and poverty | |||
| กินแกลบกินรำ | kin klaep kin ram | eating chaff and bran | stupid | ||
| กินข้าวต้มกระโจมกลาง | 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 | ||
| กินตามน้ำ | kin tam nam | eat by the water flow | to receive gifts or bribes without actively asking | ||
| กินที่ลับไขที่แจ้ง | kin thi lap khai thi chaeng | eat in secret, tell in public | to publicize what was done in secret | ||
| กินน้ำตา | kin nam ta | drink tears | to cry, to be in sorrow | ||
| กินน้ำตาต่างข้าว | 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 | ||
| กินน้ำใต้ศอก | kin nam tai sok | drink water from another's elbows | (usually of "minor wives") to be forced to accept subordinate status | ||
| กินน้ำพริกถ้วยเก่า | kin nam phrik thuai kao | eat an old bowl of nam phrik | to (return to) live with one's previous wife | ||
| กินน้ำพริกถ้วยเดียว | kin nam phrik thuai diao | eat only one bowl of nam phrik | to live with only one wife | ||
| กินน้ำไม่เผื่อแล้ง | kin nam mai phuea laeng | drink water without sparing any for drought | to spend what one has without consideration for the future | ||
| กินน้ำเห็นปลิง | 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 | ||
| กินบนเรือนขี้บนหลังคา | kin bon ruean khi bon langkha | to eat in the house then defecate on the roof | to be ungrateful | ||
| กินบุญเก่า | kin bun kao | to receive the results of good deeds from past lives; (of wealthy persons) to live off old wealth, e.g. inheritance | |||
| กินปูนร้อนท้อง | kin pun ron thong | eat lime, feel the belly burn | to act conspicuously (for fear of one's deeds being revealed) | ||
| กินรังแตน | kin rang taen | eat a wasp nest | to be irritable | ||
| กินลมกินแล้ง | kin lom kin laeng | eat dry wind | not having any benefit | ||
| กินเศษกินเลย | kin set kin loei | to misappropriate a small portion for oneself | |||
| กินสำรับ | kin samrap | eat from a served set | to eat fine food | ||
| กินเหมือนหมู อยู่เหมือนหมา | kin muean mu yu muean ma | eat like a pig, live like a dog | messy and untidy | also appears as กินอย่างหมู อยู่อย่างหมา (kin yang mu yu yang ma) | |
| กินเหล็กกินไหล | kin lek kin lai | eat iron, eat lai (a mythical metal) | extraordinarily able to bear labour or pain | ||
| กินอยู่กับปาก อยากอยู่กับท้อง | kin yu kap pak yak yu kap thong | to know but pretend not to | |||
| กู่ไม่กลับ | ku mai klap | not returning after a yodelling call | not listening to objections; unstoppable | ||
| เก็บดอกไม้ร่วมต้น | 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 | also appears as เด็ดดอกไม้ร่วมต้น (det dok mai ruam ton) | |
| เก็บเบี้ยใต้ถุนร้าน | kep bia tai thun ran | pick up cowry shells under the platform | to make small savings | ||
| เกลียดตัวกินไข่ เกลียดปลาไหลกินน้ำแกง | 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 | ||
| เกลือจิ้มเกลือ | kluea chim kluea | salt dipped in salt | (of two persons) not conceding to each other | ||
| เกลือเป็นหนอน | kluea pen non | salt becoming maggots | betrayal by close family or friends | also appears as ไส้เป็นหนอน (sai pen non, innards becoming maggots) | |
| เกี่ยวก้อย | kiao koi | hook (each other's) little fingers | to show closeness or affection | ||
| เกี่ยวแฝกมุงป่า | kiao faek mung pa | cutting vetiver grass to roof the forest | to attempt something beyond one's abilities | ||
| แกว่งเท้าหาเสี้ยน | kwaeng thao ha sian | swing one's foot in search of a splinter | to get into trouble | ||
| แกะดำ | kae dam | one who acts differently from the group | |||
| ใกล้เกลือกินด่าง | klai kluea kin dang | near salt, eat lye | not knowing the value of something readily accessible, instead opting for something inferior | ||
| ไก่แก่แม่ปลาช่อน | kai kae mae pla chon | old chicken, mother snakehead fish | a crafty old woman | ||
| ไก่บินไม่ตกดิน | kai bin mai tok din | A chicken can fly without falling to the ground. | an area of densely situated buildings | ||
| ไก่รองบ่อน | kai rong bon | second-rated cock in the ring | one who serves as a substitute and may be called into service | ||
| ไก่เห็นตีนงู งูเห็นนมไก่ | 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 | ||
| ไก่อ่อน | kai on | young chick | one who has little experience and is easily deceived | also appears as ไก่อ่อนสอนขัน (kai on son khan) | |
| ไกลปืนเที่ยง | klai puen thiang | far from the noon cannon | (of a person) simple, as a result of living far from development | ||
| ขนหน้าแข้งไม่ร่วง | 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 | ||
| ขนหัวลุก | khon hua luk | hairs of the head standing up | very frightened or scared | ||
| ขนทรายเข้าวัด | khon sai khao wat | carry sand into the wat | to help benefit the public/community | ||
| ขนมผสมน้ำยา | khanom phasom nam ya | khanom chin with nam ya sauce | equal and befitting each other | ||
| ข่มเขาโคขืนให้กินหญ้า | khom khao kho khuen hai kin ya | force cattle by its horns to eat grass | to force someone to do as one wants | ||
| ขมิ้นกับปูน | khamin kap pun | turmeric and lye | (of two persons) argumentative when meeting each other; disliking each other | ||
| ขว้างงูไม่พ้นคอ | khwang ngu mai phon kho | throw a snake no farther than one's own neck | to do something resulting in negative consequences for oneself | ||
| ขวานผ่าซาก | khwan pha sak | axe splitting a carcass | (of a person's manner of speech) direct and inconsiderate | ||
| ของหายตะพายบาป | khong hai taphai bap | to blame others when something is lost or missing | |||
| ข้าเก่าเต่าเลี้ยง | kha kao tao liang | a long-familiar person; a long-serving servant | |||
| ข้านอกเจ้าบ่าวนอกนาย | kha nok chao bao nok nai | one whose acts defy order or tradition | |||
| ข้ามน้ำข้ามทะเล | kham nam kham thale | cross over water and sea | to fight through obstacles in order to succeed | also appears as ข้ามน้ำข้ามท่า (kham nam kham tha) | |
| ขายผ้าเอาหน้ารอด | khai pha ao na rod | sell cloth to save face | to sacrifice important property to save one's name | ||
| ขายหน้าวันละห้าเบี้ย | khai na wan la ha bia | to cause embarrassment every day | |||
| ข้าวก้นบาตร | khao kon bat | rice at the bottom of an alms bowl | food left over from monks' meals, which temple boys eat | ||
| ข้าวแดงแกงร้อน | khao daeng kaeng ron | brown rice, hot soup | kindness, favours | ||
| ข้าวยากหมากแพง | khao yak mak phaeng | rice being difficult, areca nuts being expensive | a state of famine | ||
| ข้าวเหลือเกลืออิ่ม | khao luea kluea im | rice being in excess, salt being satiating | a country with plentiful food | ||
| ข้าวใหม่ปลามัน | khao mai pla man | new rice, tasty fish | the state of something new being regarded as good; usually referring to newlyweds | ||
| ขิงก็รา ข่าก็แรง | khing ko ra kha ko raeng | (of two persons) both being hot-tempered, neither one backing down | |||
| ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน | khi chang chap takkataen | ride an elephant to catch grasshoppers | to invest a lot for little gains | ||
| ขี้ก้อนใหญ่ให้เด็กเห็น | khi kon yai hai dek hen | defecate a large turd for a child to see | to do something inappropriate in front of a child | ||
| ขี้แพ้ชวนตี | khi phae chuan ti | loser calling for a fight | to be a sore loser | ||
| ขี้ไม่ให้หมากิน | khi mai hai ma kin | defecate and refuse it for dogs to eat | to be a miser | ||
| ขี้ราดโทษล่อง | khi rat thot long | make a mess and blame the toilet hole | to blame others for one's own fault | ||
| ขึ้นต้นไม้สุดยอด | khuen ton mai sut yot | climb a tree to the very top | to reach the highest possible rank | ||
| ขุดด้วยปากถากด้วยตา | khut duai pak thak duai ta | dig with the mouth, scrape with the eyes | to display contempt with words and looks | ||
| ขุดดินกินหญ้า | khut din kin ya | dig the earth, eat the grass | to do what little work which just feeds oneself | ||
| ขุดบ่อล่อปลา | khut bo lo pla | dig a pond, lure the fish | to plot and deceive others for one's own benefit | ||
| ขุนนางใช่พ่อแม่ หินแง่ใช่ตายาย | 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. | ||
| ขุนไม่เชื่อง | khun mai chueang | fed but not tame | ungrateful | also appears as ขุนไม่ขึ้น (khun mai khuen) | |
| เข็นครกขึ้นเขา | 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 | ||
| เข้าด้ายเข้าเข็ม | khao dai khao khem | in the thread and the needle | almost succeeding, but susceptible to be foiled by a small mistake or interruption | ||
| เข้าตามตรอกออกตามประตู | khao tam trok ok tam pratu | enter by the street, exit by the door | to follow tradition in asking to marry | ||
| เข้าเถื่อนอย่าลืมพร้า | khao thuean ya luem phra | enter the forest, do not forget the machete | to be cautious | ||
| เข้ารกเข้าพง | khao rok khao phong | go into the bushes | to say or do something unrelated or incorrectly as a result of lack of expertise | ||
| เข้าหูซ้ายทะลุหูขวา | khao hu sai thalu hu khwa | enter the left ear, go throughout the right | not learning what one is taught | ||
| เขียนด้วยมือลบด้วยตีน | khian duai mue lop duai tin | write with the hand, erase with the foot | to praise but then later destroy | ||
| เขียนเสือให้วัวกลัว | khian suea hai wua klua | draw a tiger to scare the cattle | to do something to frighten the other party | ||
| เขียว ๆ แดง ๆ | khiao khiao daeng daeng | green and red | colourfully dressed women | ||
| แขกไม่ได้รับเชิญ | khaek mai dai rap choen | uninvited guest | undesirable people or animals likely to cause damage or inconvenience, usually referring to thieves or certain animals | ||
| แข่งกับเวลา | khaeng kap wela | race with time | to do something quickly | ||
| แข่งเรือแข่งแพแข่งได้ แข่งบุญแข่งวาสนาแข่งไม่ได้ | 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 | ||
| แขวนนวม | khwaen nuam | hang boxing gloves | retire from boxing; quit doing something | ||
| ไข่ในหิน | khai nai hin | egg in the rock | something which is meticulously cared for | ||
| สมน้ำหน้า | som nam na | You get what you deserve | |||
| รีดเลือดกับปู | 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 | ||
| น้ำท่วมทุ่ง ผักบุ้งโหรงเหรง | 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. |