Thai Words for Smile

Written Jul 24, 2008

Different languages have many words for the same thing.

Eskimos supposedly have 15 words for snow.
You can read them on this URL

http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~atman/Misc/eskimo-snow-words.html

The travel movie AMAZING THAILAND claims the Thais have 13 words for smile. This statement falls into the realm of urban legend, although the Thais have a smile for every occasion.

Happy? Smile. Sad? Smile. Crash car into buffalo? Smile.
I went to www.thai2english.com to see how close they came to 13.

6 was the answer.

Yim - Smile

Roi yim - Smile

Feun Yim - Forced Smile ie after you tell your wife you're not giving her any more money for the week.

Om Yim - Smile knowingly ie your wife knows you'll hit an ATM for her if you want to go out with your friends and not get an earful.

Bproi Yim - Distribute smiles to ie smile to others saying what a fool your husband is not thinking he can get away without hitting an ATM

Obviously there are some smiles even the Thais don't recognize.

Yim Mah - Doglike smile on your girlfriend's boyfriend who's you think is his brother.

Yim Kee - Shit-eating smile on your girlfriend after you discover her brother is really her husband.

Yim Beer - Your smile after figuring a bottle of beer is more faithful than your girlfriend.

Yim Kwai - Your smile as seen by Thais. Buffalo grin

Yim Talung - Your smile walking down Soi 6. Otherwise known as a leer.

Yim Im - Smile after eating too much.

Yim Isarah - Your smile upon biding your missus adios.

"Free at last, free at last. Good God Almighty. Free at last." Martin Luther King.