Where does “ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน” come from?

ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน (Thai) comes from Thai ขี่, from Proto-Southwestern Tai *kʰwiːᴮ, from Middle Chinese 騎.

ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน (Thai): To use a high amount of effort to carry out a little work; to do something with more force than is necessary

Definitions

  1. To use a high amount of effort to carry out a little work; to do something with more force than is necessary

Ancestry of “ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน”, step by step

ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Thai ขี่

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiขี่to ride, to drive
2Proto-Southwestern Tai*kʰwiːᴮ
3Middle Chinese

via Thai ช้าง

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiช้างelephant; bishop; great
2Proto-Taiɟaːŋᶜelephant

via Thai จับ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Thaiจับto touch; to grab; to grasp; to grip; to hold; to...
2Proto-Taicapᴰto grasp; to perch
Every word from Middle Chinese Every word from Proto-Southwestern Tai *kʰwiːᴮEvery word from Thai ขี่
ขี่ช้างจับตั๊กแตน — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer