Etymology

From ชิง ‎(ching, “to take away or take possession of by force”) +‎ หมา ‎(mǎa, “dog”) +‎ เกิด ‎(gə̀ət, “to be born”); literally "to forcibly take possession of a dog's chance to be born"; probably from the following verse in the epic poem Khun Chang Khun Phaen, which figuratively describes the despicability of a character:

"หมามันจะเกิดชิงหมาเกิด มึงไปตายเสียเถิดอ้ายห้าเบี้ย"

mǎa man jà gə̀ət ching mǎa gə̀ət · mʉng bpai dtaai sǐia tə̀ət âai hâa bîia

"A dog was about to be born, but you reaved the dog's chance to be born. Go die, you man of five cowries!"

Notes: the phrase hâa bîia (literally "five cowries") is possibly a spoonerism of เหี้ย ‎(hîia, “extremely bad”) + บ้า ‎(bâa, “insane; mad”).

Pronunciation