IdiomAnimals
Thai
Thaiจับปลาสองมือ
Meaning: To chase two goals at once and risk losing both.
Literally: To catch fish with both hands
Example: “ทำงานสองที่พร้อมกันแบบนี้ จับปลาสองมือ ระวังจะไม่ได้สักอย่าง” — Working two jobs at once like this? Grasp all, lose all.
English equivalent: Grasp all, lose all
Origin: Someone trying to catch a fish in each hand loses both. The Thai saying warns against chasing two things at once, and is used especially of someone in two relationships. No particular story lies behind it.
Equivalents in other languages
Hebrew: תפסת מרובה לא תפסת (Tafasta merubah lo tafasta) Literally: If you grabbed a lot, you grabbed nothing
More Thai idioms
- ตำน้ำพริกละลายแม่น้ำ To squander resources for nothing.
- ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน To use enormous means for a trivial result.
- น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก Seize an opportunity while it lasts.
- ชักแม่น้ำทั้งห้า To give a long-winded, roundabout justification before getting to the point.
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
Keep exploring