jàp ปลา
bplaa สอง
sŏng มือ
meu
Vocabulary
jàp = catch
bplaa = a fish
sŏng = two
meu = hand
Literal Meaning
Catch fish with two handsEnglish Proverb
Chase two rabbits catch noneExplanation
Fish in a river are slippery and fast moving. They are extremely difficult to catch with your hands, so you need to concentrate on one of them and use both hands to try to grab it. That is hard enough to do! If you are greedy and want to try to catch two, one in each hand, as you are watching one, the other will dart away. You are likely then to catch neither. Far better to attempt the possible and stand more chance of success. This proverb is a warning against greed and an exhortation to concentrate on doing one task successfully. A very similar image and meaning is found in the English proverb, Chase two rabbits catch none.
Example
สมศรีเลือกคนที่เธอชอบจริงๆ ซักทีสิ อย่าจับปลาสองมือแบบนี้ระวังจะไม่เหลือใครเลย
sŏmsĕe lêuak kon têe ter chôp jing jing sák tee sì yàa jàp bplaa sŏng meu bàep née rá-wang jà mâi lĕua krai loie
“Somsri, choose one you’re really pleased with. Don’t chase two rabbits like this, you will not catch either one.”
“Mai leua krai loie”
Leua is written as loie
Wong Heng Keyne : Thanks! its fixed now!
I had an interesting conversation with the thai community in the town I come from in New Zealand. When i told them this proverb as opposed to the normal response of
เก่งมาก, they asked me to explain what i think it means. Upon giving them the answer they said “no” in thailand you say that about someone who is cheating on their girlfriend. As in the english slang “a player”! Then we all laughed and they said thats why we were all shocked when you said it in front of your girlfriend!
Thoughts on this??
Good point! 90% of a time Thais use this proverb to describe “a player” or someone who have 2 boyfriend/girlfriend and unable to choose one. However, it can be used to describe someone who is unable to choose/decide between 2 choices.
A bird in the Bush is worth two in the hand
Buena información.
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