Jingjok
Thai phrases › Idioms, proverbs, humour
How to say to play on words
in Thai
เล่นคำ
lên-kam
to play on words
lên fallingkam mid
Thai is perfect for puns: so many words differ only by tone.
- Part of speech
- verb
In a sentence
- โฆษณาชอบเล่นคำkoo-sà-naa châawp lên-kamAds love wordplay.
The culture behind it
CULTURE
Puns, spoonerisms and a five-tone language
From the same situation: Idioms, proverbs, humour
- สำนวนidiom, expression; style
- สุภาษิตproverb
- คำคมwitty saying, quote
- ตีความto interpret
- ตรงตัวliteral
- ขำfunny; to find funny
- ขำกลิ้งhilarious (rolling with laughter)
- ฮาhilarious (slang)
All 78 words and phrases in “Idioms, proverbs, humour” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Jingjok teaches เล่นคำ with audio, the tone drawn on screen, and a check on your own voice. Understand and use 25 everyday Thai idioms, take and give teasing gracefully, get tone puns, and say exactly what you can't hear, see or find.
- WEEKS 1–2 · SURVIVEGreet anyone, pay, and order food and 7-Eleven exactly how you like it.
- WEEKS 3–6 · SETTLE INGet around by taxi, Grab and skytrain, find anything, and handle your landlord.
- WEEKS 7–12 · RUN YOUR LIFEPharmacy, bank, SIM and apps, how you feel, and a weekend away, all in Thai.
The first week is free.