Someone to lean on in Thai

“Someone to lean on” in Thai is ที่พึ่งtîi-pûeng; you'll also hear ที่พักใจtîi-pák-jai (poetic).

ที่พึ่ง tîi-pûeng

someone to rely on; a refuge noun

tîi falling
pûeng falling

Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”

Parts: ที่tîi place; one that พึ่งpûeng to rely on

ที่พักใจ tîi-pák-jai

a place to rest your heart noun poetic

tîi falling
pák high
jai mid

Falling: start high and drop clearly, like a firm “No!”
High: start high and go a little higher, a bit tense; don’t let it fall.

Parts: ที่tîi place พักpák to rest ใจjai heart

พักpák = to rest, and ใจjai = heart: someone to lean on after a heartbreak.

You'll hear ที่พักใจtîi-pák-jai in Mai Mee Kho Mae (ไม่มีข้อแม้ตั้งแต่เริ่มต้น).

How to use it

ที่พึ่งtîi-pûeng, "a place to rely on", is the person you turn to when things go wrong: a parent, an old friend, a teacher. Faith can be one too, ที่พึ่งทางใจtîi-pûeng taang jai, a refuge for the mind. Songs say ที่พักใจtîi-pák-jai, "a resting place for the heart", for the one who comforts you after a heartbreak. The verb is พึ่งpûeng, to rely on, as in พึ่งตัวเองpûeng dtua-eeng, to stand on your own two feet.