Did you know?

“ของกิน” [kǎwng gin] is an informal and colloquial term for “อาหาร” [aahǎan], which means “Food.” “ของ” [kǎwng] means “thing” and “กิน” [gin] means “to eat,” so the literal meaning is “thing to eat.”

However, you cannot always replace “อาหาร” [aahǎan] with “ของกิน” [kǎwng gin], especially in compound nouns like “อาหารไทย” [aahǎan Thai] “Thai food” or “อาหารกลางวัน” [aahǎan glaangwan] “Lunch.” Let’s take a look at some of the common sentences where it can be used.

Examples:::

ไปหาของกินกัน
[pai hǎa kǎwng gin gan]
Let’s go find something to eat!

แม่ มีของกินไหม หิว
[mâe, mii kǎwng gin mái, hǐw]
Mom, is there anything to eat? I’m hungry.

If not, you can also use “อะไร” [arai] meaning “something,” as follows.

ไปหาอะไรกินกัน
[pai hǎa arai gin gan]
Let’s go find something to eat!

แม่ มีอะไรกินไหม หิว
[mâe, mii arai gin mái, hǐw]
Mom, is there anything to eat? I’m hungry.

Photos: Khru Tachaya’s homemade food

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