Bedeutung
Escaping one danger only to find another.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The Mekong river was historically full of Siamese crocodiles. For Lao people, the river was life, but it was also a place of hidden danger. This proverb respects that duality. The proverb aligns with the Buddhist concept of 'Dukkha' (suffering), suggesting that trying to escape suffering through external changes often just leads to new forms of suffering. Tigers (Seua) are often portrayed as powerful but outsmartable in Lao stories, whereas crocodiles (Khae) are seen as stubborn and relentless. Meeting the crocodile after the tiger is the ultimate 'bad luck' because the crocodile won't let go. In modern Lao pop songs and dramas (Lakorn), this phrase is often used to describe a protagonist's tragic life, making it a very 'dramatic' and recognizable idiom.
Use for Irony
Lao people love using this with a bit of a smile when complaining about their own bad luck. It shows resilience.
Don't swap the animals
Always Tiger first, then Crocodile. Swapping them makes you sound like a learner who hasn't mastered the 'flow' of the proverb.
Bedeutung
Escaping one danger only to find another.
Use for Irony
Lao people love using this with a bit of a smile when complaining about their own bad luck. It shows resilience.
Don't swap the animals
Always Tiger first, then Crocodile. Swapping them makes you sound like a learner who hasn't mastered the 'flow' of the proverb.
The 'Pa' factor
Using 'Pa' instead of 'Phop' makes you sound much more native and culturally literate.
Social Media
You can use this as a hashtag #ໜີເສືອປະແຂ້ when posting about a funny series of bad events.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing animal to complete the proverb.
ໜີເສືອປະ____
The standard proverb is 'Nee Seua Pa Khae' (Escape tiger, meet crocodile).
Which situation best fits the proverb 'ໜີເສືອປະແຂ້'?
Situation: You quit a job with a mean boss only to find your new boss is even meaner.
This is a perfect example of escaping one danger only to find another.
What does the word 'ປະ' (pa) mean in this specific proverb?
In 'ໜີເສືອປະແຂ້', the word 'ປະ' means:
In this ancient context, 'pa' means to meet or encounter by chance.
Complete the dialogue with the correct phrase.
A: ລົດຂ້ອຍເພ, ພໍຊິຂຶ້ນລົດເມ ລົດເມກໍ່ຢາງແຕກ. B: ໂອ້! _________ ແທ້ໆເດີ້.
The speaker is describing a sequence of two bad transportation events.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
When to use this phrase
Work
- • Bad boss
- • Low pay
- • Long hours
Life
- • Broken car
- • Lost keys
- • Rain
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgabenໜີເສືອປະ____
The standard proverb is 'Nee Seua Pa Khae' (Escape tiger, meet crocodile).
Situation: You quit a job with a mean boss only to find your new boss is even meaner.
This is a perfect example of escaping one danger only to find another.
In 'ໜີເສືອປະແຂ້', the word 'ປະ' means:
In this ancient context, 'pa' means to meet or encounter by chance.
A: ລົດຂ້ອຍເພ, ພໍຊິຂຶ້ນລົດເມ ລົດເມກໍ່ຢາງແຕກ. B: ໂອ້! _________ ແທ້ໆເດີ້.
The speaker is describing a sequence of two bad transportation events.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNot at all! While it's an ancient proverb, it's used daily by all ages to describe modern frustrations.
Technically yes, but it's most effective when the second problem is just as scary or annoying as the first.
'Pa' is more traditional and implies an accidental encounter. 'Phop' is the modern, standard word for 'to meet.'
Yes! 'Nee Hon Ma Perng Yen' (Escaping the heat to find the cool).
Yes, it's a very professional way to describe a 'no-win' strategic situation.
It is 'Seua' (rising tone). Be careful not to say 'Sua' which can mean 'shirt' or 'bad' depending on the tone!
In Lao, subjects are often dropped. You can just say 'Nee Seua Pa Khae!' as an exclamation.
Yes, the Thai version is identical in meaning and almost identical in sound.
The proverb is fixed as 'Tiger then Crocodile.' Don't reverse it!
No, it's a standard proverb with no offensive connotations.
Verwandte Redewendungen
ເຄາະຮ້າຍ
similarBad luck / Misfortune
ຊວຍຊ້ຳຊວຍຊ້ອນ
similarBad luck on top of bad luck
ຕົກນະລົກທັງເປັນ
contrastLiving in hell
ໜີຮ້ອນມາເພິ່ງເຢັນ
contrastEscaping the heat to find the cool
ກຸ່ມໃຈ
builds onTo be worried/stressed
