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Chai: |
Fráenk phǒm thǎm àrāi nòi khām wâ “krēngchāi” phāsǎ āngkrìt
chái wâ àrai |
á¿Ã§¡ì ¼Á¶ÒÁÍÐäÃ˹èÍ |
Frank, let me ask you
one thing. What’s the English term for “krengchai”? |
|
Frank: |
ēh … mâi mī khām thî
plāe dâi trōng kān thī dīao ná
tàe mī khwāmmǎi khlái khlái kàp “be afraid of offending; consider the feelings of
(others); be respectful; to feel obliged” |
àÍ…äÁèÁÕ¤Ó·Õèá»Åä´éµÃ§¡Ñ¹ |
Eh … There’s no direct
translation, but it’s close to “be
afraid of offending; consider the feelings of (others); to feel obliged” |
|
Chai: |
ūem chái yâk háe |
Í×ÍÁì ãªéÂÒ¡áÎÐ |
Um! That’s difficult
to say. |
|
Frank: |
phǒm ēng kô mâi khôi
nâechāi wēlā chái nāi phāsa thāi
thâ phûeanbân phǒm pòet plēng dāng mâk thúkwān |
¼Áàͧ¡çäÁè¤èÍÂá¹èã¨àÇÅÒãªéã¹ |
I’m not yet confident
of the full meaning and proper usage of the word, either. For example, what
should I say if my neighbours play their music very loud? |
|
Chai: |
khūn kô phût dâi
wâ khōn phûak ní “mâi rú chàk
krēngchāi khrāi” rǔe “mâi ru chak krēngchāi khōn ùen lōei” |
¤Ø³¡ç¾Ù´ä´éÇèÒ ¤¹¾Ç¡¹Õé |
You may say they
“don’t know how to krengchai
others”. |
|
Frank: |
thâ phûean mā chūan
pāi thîo dûai kān phǒm mâi yàk
pāi tàe mâi yàk hâi khǎo
sǐachāi phǒm kô lōei pāi |
¶éÒà¾×è͹ÁҪǹä»à·ÕèÂÇ´éÇ¡ѹ |
Suppose a friend asks
me to go to a party with him, and I really don’t want to go; but I go anyway
so as not to hurt his feelings. How’d you describe that? |
|
Chai: |
khūn kô “pāi dûai
khwām krēngchāi phûean” |
¤Ø³¡ç”ä»´éǤÇÒÁà¡Ã§ã¨à¾×è͹” |
That means you go
because you krengchai your
friend. |
|
Frank: |
wēla phǒm hâi khǒng
kàe dèk dèk khǎo krēngchāi mâi
klâ ráp |
àÇÅÒ¼ÁãËé¢Í§á¡èà´ç¡æ |
When I offer children
something they really want, but they krengchai
and don’t take it. What’s that? |
|
Chai: |
khūn kô tông phût wâ
“râp pāi thòe mâi tǒng
krēngchāi” |
¤Ø³¡çµéͧ¾Ù´ÇèÒ “ÃѺä»à¶ÍÐ |
You’ve got to say,
“Please take it. Don’t feel krengcha”. |
|
Frank: |
láe thâ phûean khǎo
tēmchāi chīng chīng chūan rāo
pāi bân khǎo bòi bòi láe rāo kô
tēmchāi dûai |
áÅжéÒà¾×è͹à¢ÒàµçÁ㨨ÃÔ§æ |
And if a friend
willingly invites me to his home very often, and I also enjoy spending time
with him, what can I say? |
|
Chai: |
khūn kô phût wâ “ngán
phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná” |
¤Ø³¡ç¾Ù´ÇèÒ |
In that case you say,
“I won’t feel krengchai then”. |
|
Frank: |
ōkē Chāi ngán phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná chà mā bân khūn bòi bòi |
âÍठªÑ §Ñé¹¼ÁäÁèà¡Ã§ã¨ÅèйР|
Okay, Chai, I won’t
feel krengchai then. I’ll drop
by more often. |
Language check How
do you reply, with krengchai,
to these statements in Thai? 1.
Drop by any time. You’re
always welcomed, really! = ……………… 2.
I’m sorry I’ve kept your
book for a long time. = ……………… 3.
Is there anything I can
do for you, Frank? = ……………… Can you drive me to the hospital, please? Answer
key 1.
(khòpkhūn mâk) ngán
chǎn/ phǒm mâi krēngchāi lâ ná 2.
(mâi pēn rāi) mâi tǒng
krēngchāi (ròk) 3.
phǒm krēngchāi, chīng
chīng |
Read our other phuut phaasaa Thai columns here.
| Comments to Ajaan Sunee
at
suneec@bangkokpost.co.th |
| © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd.
All rights reserved 2006
Last modified: November 24, 2006 |
Welcome back
to a new adaptation of Phût
Phāsǎ Thāi after our transitional Songkran
break. As per the valued suggestions of our readers, the transliterations
now follow the Royal Institute's system (http://www.royin.go.th/th/profile/index.php),
which includes tone markers. In terms of content, the column will
continue to provide you with
everyday language on specific topics.
|
òø phruetsachikayon òõôù ( 28 November 2006)
|
|
Phût phāsǎ Thai To be considerate of others … / krēngchāi
Some Thai terms are difficult in concept to explain because there are no direct translations for them in English. The term krengchai is at the top of that list. Let's look at the two syllables of the term: kreng (à¡Ã§) means 'fear' or 'to be afraid of'; and chai (ã¨) means 'heart'. Therefore we say krengchai (à¡Ã§ã¨) because we 'are afraid of offending another or causing inconvenience' to them. And if the other side feels that the action referred to will cause no inconvenience or offence, theym may say, "äÁèµÑͧà¡Ã§ã¨" — "There's no need to krengchai". There are more uses of krengchai in today's conversation.
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