Main Translations

English: Conceited

Thai: ทะนง (Thanong)

Phonetic: Tha-nong

Detailed Explanation: The word "conceited" is an adjective in English that describes someone who has an inflated sense of self-importance, often appearing arrogant or vain about their abilities, appearance, or achievements. It carries a negative emotional connotation, implying narcissism or a lack of humility. In Thai, "ทะนง" is commonly used in scenarios where someone boasts excessively, such as in professional settings or social interactions. Semantic nuances include a focus on self-centered behavior that alienates others, and it can be used humorously or critically to highlight flaws in character.

Thai: หยิ่ง (Ying)

Phonetic: Ying

Detailed Explanation: As a secondary translation, "หยิ่ง" refers to arrogance or snobbishness, often with a connotation of looking down on others. This word is used in everyday Thai language to describe someone who is conceited in a more overt, dismissive way. Emotionally, it evokes irritation or disdain, and semantically, it emphasizes social hierarchy or elitism. Usage scenarios might include interpersonal conflicts or cultural critiques, where the word highlights behaviors that disrupt harmony in Thai society, which values modesty (e.g., in Buddhist-influenced norms).

Overview of Usage Scenarios

The word "conceited" is primarily used in English and Thai to describe personality traits in various contexts, such as professional environments, casual conversations, or literary discussions. It often appears in negative evaluations of character, highlighting excessive pride. Common scenarios include business settings (e.g., criticizing a leader's ego), leisure activities (e.g., commenting on a friend's vanity), formal occasions (e.g., in speeches or critiques), and informal chats (e.g., gossip). In Thai culture, it's applied with caution due to emphasis on humility, making it more prevalent in indirect criticisms or humor.

Example Sentences

Example Sentences in Different Scenarios

Business Scenario

English: The CEO is too conceited to accept feedback from his employees.

Thai: ซีอีโอคนนี้ทะนงตัวเกินไปจนไม่ยอมรับฟีดแบ็กจากพนักงานของเขา.

Grammatical Breakdown: "The CEO" (subject, noun phrase) is modified by "is too conceited" (predicate adjective phrase), with "to accept feedback" as an infinitive phrase indicating purpose. "From his employees" is a prepositional phrase providing context.

Structural Analysis: This is a simple declarative sentence with a subject-verb-complement structure. The adjective "conceited" functions as a predicate, emphasizing the CEO's flaw in a professional context, which is common in business English for leadership critiques.

Leisure Scenario

English: She's so conceited about her cooking skills that she never tries new recipes.

Thai: เธอหยิ่งเรื่องฝีมือทำอาหารจนไม่ยอมลองสูตรใหม่ๆ เลย.

Grammatical Breakdown: "She" (subject) is linked to "is so conceited" (predicate adjective with intensifier "so"), followed by a prepositional phrase "about her cooking skills" and a subordinate clause "that she never tries new recipes."

Structural Analysis: This compound sentence uses subordination to show cause and effect, illustrating how conceit affects personal growth in leisure activities like hobbies.

Formal Occasion

English: In his speech, the politician came across as conceited, boasting about his accomplishments.

Thai: ในสุนทรพจน์ของเขา นักการเมืองคนนี้ดูทะนงตัว โดยโอ้อวดผลงานของตัวเอง.

Grammatical Breakdown: "In his speech" (prepositional phrase) introduces the subject "the politician," with "came across as conceited" as the predicate and "boasting about his accomplishments" as a participial phrase.

Structural Analysis: The sentence employs a complex structure to critique public figures, common in formal English, where "conceited" adds a layer of negative judgment.

Informal Occasion

English: Don't be so conceited; not everyone cares about your new car.

Thai: อย่าหยิ่งขนาดนั้นสิ ไม่ใช่ทุกคนสนใจรถใหม่ของคุณหรอก.

Grammatical Breakdown: "Don't be" (imperative verb phrase) is followed by "so conceited" (adjective with intensifier), and the sentence ends with a clause "not everyone cares about your new car."

Structural Analysis: This imperative sentence uses direct address to advise against conceit in casual conversations, making it relatable for everyday informal use.

Example Sentences in Different Sentence Types

Declarative Sentence

English: He is conceited because he always talks about his successes.

Thai: เขาทะนงตัวเพราะเขาชอบพูดถึงความสำเร็จของตัวเองเสมอ.

Grammatical Breakdown: "He" (subject) + "is conceited" (predicate) + "because" (subordinating conjunction) + dependent clause.

Structural Analysis: A straightforward declarative structure that states a fact, ideal for explanations in both English and Thai.

Interrogative Sentence

English: Are you always this conceited during meetings?

Thai: คุณทะนงตัวขนาดนี้ทุกครั้งในการประชุมหรือ?

Grammatical Breakdown: "Are you" (auxiliary verb + subject) + "always this conceited" (adjective phrase) + "during meetings" (prepositional phrase).

Structural Analysis: This yes/no question builds tension, using "conceited" to probe behavior in interrogative forms.

Imperative Sentence

English: Stop being so conceited and listen to others!

Thai: หยุดทะนงตัวแบบนี้และฟังคนอื่นบ้าง!

Grammatical Breakdown: "Stop being" (imperative verb phrase) + "so conceited" (adjective) + "and listen to others" (coordinated verb phrase).

Structural Analysis: Commands like this use "conceited" to urge change, common in motivational or corrective contexts.

Exclamatory Sentence

English: How conceited he is to think he's the best!

Thai: ช่างทะนงตัวอะไรอย่างนี้ ที่คิดว่าตัวเองเก่งที่สุด!

Grammatical Breakdown: "How conceited" (exclamation starter) + "he is" (subject + verb) + "to think he's the best" (infinitive phrase).

Structural Analysis: Exclamatory sentences amplify emotion, using "conceited" for emphasis in reactions.

Example Sentences of Different Difficulties

Simple Sentence

English: She is conceited.

Thai: เธอทะนงตัว.

Grammatical Breakdown: "She" (subject) + "is conceited" (predicate adjective).

Structural Analysis: A basic subject-verb structure, easy for beginners to understand and use.

Intermediate Sentence

English: Because of his conceited attitude, he lost many friends.

Thai: เพราะทัศนคติที่ทะนงตัวของเขา เขาจึงเสียเพื่อนไปหลายคน.

Grammatical Breakdown: "Because of his conceited attitude" (subordinating phrase) + "he lost many friends" (main clause).

Structural Analysis: This introduces cause-effect, making it suitable for intermediate learners to explore nuances.

Complex Sentence

English: Although he is talented, his conceited behavior often undermines his relationships with colleagues.

Thai: แม้ว่าเขาจะมีความสามารถ แต่พฤติกรรมที่ทะนงตัวของเขามักทำให้ความสัมพันธ์กับเพื่อนร่วมงานแย่ลง.

Grammatical Breakdown: "Although he is talented" (subordinate clause) + "his conceited behavior often undermines his relationships" (main clause).

Structural Analysis: A complex structure with concession, ideal for advanced usage to discuss deeper psychological impacts.

Related Phrases and Expressions

Synonyms/Near Synonyms:

• Arrogant – Often used interchangeably with "conceited" to describe overconfidence, e.g., in business contexts to criticize leaders.
• Vain – Emphasizes superficial self-admiration, commonly in social or leisure scenarios for lighter critiques.

Antonyms:

• Modest – Describes humility and self-restraint, contrasting with "conceited" in formal or cultural discussions.
• Humble – Highlights a lack of ego, often used in Thai contexts to promote social harmony.

Common Collocations:

• Conceited attitude – Refers to a mindset of superiority, frequently in psychological or interpersonal analyses.
• Act conceited – Implies behaving in a self-important way, common in informal advice or warnings.

Cultural Background and Usage Habits

Cultural Background:

• Cultural Point 1: In Thai culture, being "conceited" (translated as "ทะนง" or "หยิ่ง") is often viewed negatively due to the influence of Buddhism, which promotes humility and the concept of "kreng jai" (consideration for others). This makes the word a tool for indirect criticism in social interactions, as direct confrontation is avoided to maintain "face" or social harmony.

Usage Habits:

• Habit 1: "Conceited" and its Thai equivalents are used more frequently in urban, educated circles (e.g., among professionals in Bangkok) than in rural areas, where modesty is emphasized. It's moderately popular in media and literature but less so in everyday speech to prevent offense.

Grammar Explanation

Grammatical Function: "Conceited" functions as an adjective, typically modifying nouns (e.g., "a conceited person") or serving as a predicate (e.g., "He is conceited"). In sentences, it can act as a subject complement or part of a descriptive phrase.

Tense and Voice: As an adjective, "conceited" does not change with tense but can appear in various verb forms, such as "was conceited" (past tense) or "will be conceited" (future). In passive voice constructions, it's less common but can be used in phrases like "He was perceived as conceited," where the focus shifts to perception.

References

Etymology and History:

The word "conceited" originated in the 16th century from the English verb "conceit," meaning to imagine or think highly of oneself, derived from the Latin "conceptus" (conception). Over time, it evolved to denote excessive self-regard, appearing in literary works like Shakespeare's plays. In Thai, "ทะนง" has roots in classical Thai literature, reflecting influences from Sanskrit and Pali texts that discuss ego and humility.

Literary References:

• From Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice": "Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us." Here, "conceited" aligns with vanity, critiquing social behaviors.
• In Thai literature, from the novel "Kru Khrua" by Sri Burapha: The character reflects on "ทะนงตัว" as a barrier to true love, illustrating its cultural weight in modern Thai stories.