Old Snake Heads and Butterflies of the Night…
The kinds of metaphors that you will come into contact with will all depend on what level of society you hang out with. It is a good idea to keep the drinking buddies’ metaphors separate from the HiSo matron metaphors.
One group of metaphors goes over well with just about any crowd. They are the ones that use animals. They are also pretty easy to understand and therefore remember. Here is a sample. If you know some more drop it off in a comment below.
ปากหมา
bpàak măa
Literal meaning: dog mouth
Metaphorical Meaning: dirty talk; crude talk; to use vulgar speech
ภาษาหมา ๆ
paa-săa măa măa
Literal meaning: dog language
Metaphorical Meaning: to talk trash; to act silly
โรคหมาบ้า
rôhk măa bâa
Literal meaning: mad dog disease
Metaphorical Meaning: hydrophobia; rabies
หมาขี้เรื้อน
măa kêe réuan
Literal meaning: mangy dog (leprous dog)
Metaphorical Meaning: pariah
หมาเน่า
măa nâo
Literal meaning: rotten dog
Metaphorical Meaning: a foul person
ควาย
kwaai
Literal meaning: water buffalo
Metaphorical Meaning: buffoon, ignoramus
แมงดา
maeng-daa
Literal meaning: giant water bug (male rides on female’s back)
Metaphorical Meaning: pimp, procurer, gigolo
เสือผู้หญิง
sĕua pôo yĭng
Literal meaning: girl tiger
Metaphorical Meaning: womanizer, lecher
เหี้ย
hîa
Literal meaning: monitor lizard (water monitor)
Metaphorical Meaning: a despicable or bad person, a worthless character
เสือสิงห์กระทิงแรด
sĕua sĭng grà-ting râet
Literal meaning: tiger, lion bull, rhinoceros
Metaphorical Meaning: experienced con men
หาเหาใส่หัว
hăa hăo sài hŭa
Literal meaning: look for lice to put on your head
Metaphorical Meaning: looking for trouble, cause your own problems
หนีเสือปะจระเข้
nĕe sĕua bpà jor-rá-kây
Literal meaning: run away from the tiger and meet the crocodile
Metaphorical Meaning: “Out of the frying-pan and into the fire.”
แพะรับบาป
páe ráp bàap
Literal meaning: the goat that takes the sin
Metaphorical Meaning: scapegoat; fall guy
ไก่
gài
Literal meaning: chicken
Metaphorical Meaning: woman
ผีเสื้อราตรี
pĕe-sêua-raa-dtree
Literal meaning: night butterfly (moth)
Metaphorical Meaning: “Lady of the night”, prostitute
ยิงกระต่าย
ying grà-dtàai
Literal meaning: shoot the rabbit
Metaphorical Meaning: male urination, often done at the side of the road
เฒ่าหัวงู
tâo hŭa ngoo
Literal meaning: old man snake head
Metaphorical Meaning: old man who runs after young girls, dirty old man
งูงูปลาปลา
ngoo ngoo bplaa bplaa
Literal meaning: snake snake fish fish
Metaphorical Meaning: mediocre, not very good