Thai proverbs

Proverbs from all Thai speaking parts of the world.

• กระต่ายหมายจันทร์
  • Transliteration: Kra-tie' mai jhun
  • Literal: A rabbit aims for the moon.
  • Meaning: Don't aim at the impossibilities; get grounded.
  • English equivalent: Don't stretch your arms more than your sleeves can reach.
  • Winitchaikun (1987). Rattanakōsin. Bamrung Sān. 

• กันไว้ดีกว่าแก้
  • Transliteration: Gan wy dtee gwaa gae
  • Literal and meaning: Preventive measure is better than curative measure.
  • English equivalent: An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
  • Dāo tǣm din. Suwīriyāsān. 1994. p. 553. 

• ความลับไม่มีในโลก
  • Transliteration: Kwan lub mai mee nai loke
  • Literal: There are no secrets in the world.
  • Meaning: There is no such thing as secret; try not to hide what can't be hidden.
  • Thō̜ranin (2009). 12 ไม้เด็ดสูตรสําเร็จข้าราชการ. Inspire. p. 88. 

• นานาจิตตัง
  • Transliteration: Na na jit tung
  • Literal: All sorts of mind.
  • English equivalent: There is no accounting for taste.
  • Meaning: Everyone to his taste; up for grasp.
  • ทําอย่างไรจะปราศจากโรคและชะลอความชรา. นานมีบุคส์พับลิเคชั่น. 2007. p. 38. 

• เพื่อนกินหาง่าย เพื่อนตายหายาก
  • Transliteration: pheuuan gin haa ngaay pheuuan dtaay haa yaak
  • Literal: Friends for a meal are easy to find, friends until end of life are difficult to find
  • Meaning: It is easy to find good-weather friends in good times but hard to find real friends who stand by you in all situations of life.
  • English version: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
  • English version: Remember man and keep in mind: A faithful friend is hard to find.
  • พลอยแกมเพชร. Bō̜risat Sīsārā. 2009. p. 98. 

• เสน่ห์ปลายจวักผัวรักจนตาย
  • Transliteration: saneh bplaay jawak phuaa rak john dtaay
  • Literal: A husband loves the charm of the ladles tip until dying.
  • Meaning: When a wife cooks well the husband will love her until the end of life.
  • English version: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
  • Wētchāchīwa (1991). ʻAnusō̜n ngān phrarātchathān phlœ̄ng sop Nāi SērīWētchāchīwa, Mō̜. Pō̜. Chō̜., Mō̜. Wō̜. Mō̜. na mēn nāphlapphlāʻItsariyāphō̜n, Wat Thēpsirintharāwāt, wan thī20 Mokkarākhom Phō̜. Sō̜. 2534. Wētchāchīwa Family. p. 58.