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Thai phrases › Idioms 2 and four-syllable expressions
How to say out of the frying pan into the fire
in Thai
หนีเสือปะจระเข้
nǐi sǔea bpà jaaw-rá-kêe
out of the frying pan into the fire
nǐi risingsǔea risingbpà lowjaaw midrá highkêe falling
Often only the first half is said: หนีเสือ… and the listener finishes it.
- Part of speech
- phrase
- Literally
- flee the tiger, meet the crocodile
In a sentence
- ย้ายคอนโดหนีเสียงดัง เจอที่ใหม่ดังกว่า หนีเสือปะจระเข้yáai kaawn-doo nǐi sǐang dang jooe tîi mài dang gwàa nǐi sǔea bpà jaaw-rá-kêeI moved condos to escape the noise and the new place is louder.
From the same situation: Idioms 2 and four-syllable expressions
- คำซ้อนpaired word, word doublet
- คำสัมผัสrhyming words, rhyme
- คำพังเพยsaying, adage
- โวหารrhetoric, way with words
- อุปมาsimile, analogy
- เปรียบเปรยto make a pointed comparison
- คมคายsharp, witty (of words)
- สละสลวยelegant, polished (of language)
All 98 words and phrases in “Idioms 2 and four-syllable expressions” →
Your first 90 days of Thai
Jingjok teaches หนีเสือปะจระเข้ with audio, the tone drawn on screen, and a check on your own voice. Recognise and use 40 more Thai idioms and the paired and four-beat expressions (คำซ้อน) that give Thai speech its rhythm, and bring them into conversation the way Thais do.
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