Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ขี้เกียจ | kîi-gìiat | /kʰiː˥˩.kia̯t̚˨˩/ |
| เกียจคร้าน | gìiat-kráan | /kia̯t̚˨˩.kʰraːn˦˥/ |
ขี้เกียจ is used to describe someone who is unwilling to work or lacks motivation. It can describe a permanent personality trait or a temporary state of feeling unmotivated to do something. Additionally, the word เบื่อ (which usually means 'bored') can sometimes be used to describe someone who is lacking motivation or being lazy.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ขี้เกียจ uses the prefix ขี้, which in Thai is often used to form adjectives describing a person's habitual traits or tendencies, frequently carrying a negative connotation. In this specific word, the prefix ขี้ refers to excrement or the act of discharging.
Which one should you use?
While both ขี้เกียจ and เกียจคร้าน mean lazy, ขี้เกียจ is the standard term used in everyday conversation, whereas เกียจคร้าน is more formal and literary, often translated as 'indolent'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using ขี้เกียจ in a sentence, you do not need to use a verb like 'to be' (is/am/are) to connect the subject to the adjective. You can simply place the subject before the word.
How do you pronounce it?
ขี้เกียจ is pronounced /kʰiː˥˩.kia̯t̚˨˩/ (kîi-gìiat). It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word เกียจ in the formal term เกียจคร้าน is believed to share a common ancestor with the Zhuang word 'gik', which also means 'lazy'.
- Thai has many adjectives formed with the ขี้ prefix, such as ขี้โมโห for 'short-tempered' and ขี้อาย for 'shy'. It transforms a temporary action into a permanent characteristic.
- Because the prefix ขี้ is so strongly associated with negative traits, using it can make a description feel more like a criticism than a neutral observation.
Examples in context
- ฉันขี้เกียจI'm lazy.This is useful for saying 'I'm lazy' using ขี้เกียจ.Tatoeba #8673109 by pastelite, translation #2203056 by CK
- ทอมขี้เกียจTom is lazy.This is useful for saying 'Tom is lazy' using ขี้เกียจ.Tatoeba #8703201 by pastelite, translation #1024975 by CK
- พี่น้องขี้เกียจทำความสะอาดMy siblings are lazy to clean.
- เขาเป็นคนขี้เกียจมากkhao pen khon khi-kiat makHe is a very lazy person.
Example conversation
Kanokwan and Cholasit are talking about cleaning the house.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanชลสิทธิ์ขี้เกียจจังเลยcholasit khi-kiat chang loeiCholasit, you are so lazy.
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitผมไม่ได้ขี้เกียจครับphom mai dai khi-kiat khrapI'm not lazy.
- กนกวรรณ Kanokwanแล้วทำไมไม่ช่วยฉันล่ะlaeo tham-mai mai chuay chan laThen why aren't you helping me?
- ชลสิทธิ์ Cholasitผมกำลังจะทำเดี๋ยวนี้แหละphom kam-lang cha tham diao-ni laeI'm going to do it right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lazy” translations and entries ขี้เกียจ, เกียจคร้าน, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ขี้เกียจ, เกียจคร้าน, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
