Those are all some very helpful words for speaking clearly and specifically. That makes me happy, since I’ve sort of been on a crusade against the myth that Thai is simplistic, a myth which promotes a negative stereotype.

สันมือ is a great example because the Thai version beat you soundly on specificity. You couldn’t even think of a concise description. My best guess would be “the karate chop side of the hand.” I think maybe “blade of the hand” is correct—at least, shins and forearms have blades so maybe the hand does. Anyway, I’m sure that most Americans could not immediately recognize “blade of the hand” if you told it to them without context.

So the Thai version is nicely specific and dense with meaning.

สันหลัง = the raised ridge along the back, the spine
–กระดูกสันหลัง = the backbone
–ไขสันหลัง = the spinal cord
สันมีด = the non-blade edge of a knife
สันมือ = the edge of the hand opposite the thumb, running from the wrist up along to the pinky.
สันเขา = crest of a mountain, a mountain ridge
สันทราย = sandbar, sand ridge
สันจมูก = bridge of the nose
สันคลื่น = crest of a wave
etc.

Thanks for bringing my attention to this word.