เหี้ย (hia)
What does เหี้ย (hia) mean? เหี้ย (hia) is a Thai severe that translates to “bastard / shit / fuck” in English.
Literal Translation
monitor lizard
Meaning & Usage
"bastard / shit / fuck"
Literally the water monitor lizard. The ultimate Thai swear word. Historically, these lizards ate villagers' chickens, making them universally hated.
Examples in the Wild
เหี้ยเอ๊ย! (Hia oey! - Oh fuck/shit!)
When to Use It
Context
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- Only among very close friends who share this register
- As a spontaneous exclamation
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Public spaces — will cause genuine offense
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Considered so legally and culturally offensive that the government tried to rename the animal to 'Tua Ngen Tua Thong' (silver and gold creature) to sanitize it. Used as an exclamation (Hia!) or an insult.
More in Thai 🇹🇭
View all →อีหอย (ee hoi)
“you massive pussy/clam”
Hoi means clam/shellfish, which is standard slang for vagina.
สัส (sat)
“fuck / shit / animal”
A vulgar abbreviation of 'sat-dela-chan' (bestial animal).
อีควาย (ee khwai)
“fucking idiot (female) / dumb bitch”
Directed at a woman to call her extremely stupid.
ส้นตีน (son teen)
“useless shit / bottom feeder”
The heel of the foot. In Thai culture, feet are the lowest and dirtiest part of the body.
กะเทย (kathoey)
“ladyboy / tranny”
The standard Thai word for a transgender woman or effeminate gay man.
อีบ้า (ee baa)
“crazy bitch”
A dumb or crazy woman.
เย็ด (yet)
“to fuck”
The highly vulgar verb for sexual intercourse.
ไอ้เหี้ย (ai hia)
“fucking bastard / son of a bitch”
The male-directed version of 'hia'. Used to aggressively insult a man.