Thailand: Khobkun-Krub!
The Thai word for “Thank You” is khobkun-Krub – that is if you are male. If you are female, the word is khobkun-Ka.
I’ve studied languages in which the ending of a word varies with the gender of the object being named; for example, hermano (brother) and hermana (sister) in spanish.
Never though have I encountered a language that adjusts the gender of a word based on the gender of the speaker. (That said, I’m no linguist and I’d bet there are other languages that do the same).
I’m not sure what to make of this linguistic novelty. Still, whatever it does (or does not) mean, I quickly found that giving thanks and paying respect is a meaningful part of Thai culture- for males and females alike.
The Male Thanks: khobkun-Krub
Image: Muay Thai fighters bowing to complete the Wai Khru dance
Muay Thai is a type of martial arts that originated in Thailand and has recently been getting some mainstream attention. I’d seen it on TV and the fighters looked pretty bad ass, so I couldn’t resist attending a night of local matches while in Thailand.
Observation:
- These fighters were indeed bad ass.
Another observation:
- Before each fight the fighters performed a Wai Khru Dance, which they complete by bowing in the center of the ring as a way of giving thanks and paying respect to their teacher.
An insight:
- These fighters who were about to attempt to battle one another into submission, started the fight in a voluntary posture of submission in order to give thanks and pay respect.
The Female Thanks: khobkun-Ka
Massages in Thailand run a tourist anywhere from 10 to 20 bucks. At that price, it’s hard not to get a message (or six) while in Thailand.
While the term Thai massage for some may carry with it shady connotations, a good Thai massage therapist approaches her craft as an art form. In fact, similar to the Muay Thai fighter’s Wai Kru, the massage therapist that I visited began each session by paying respect to her teacher with a series of bows and claps.
My Thanks
It seems that in Thailand, whatever the art form, gratitude is a part of the practice. My trip to Thailand was a good reminder to be grateful, especially to all the teachers and mentors (past and present) in my life.
I’ve been fortunate enough to sit under:
- great school teachers
- great atheletic coaches
- great health and fitness instructors
- great spiritual teachers
- great business people
- and great life mentors
To each and all of you: Khobkun-Krub!
posted: 10 June 21
under: Travel