A beautiful life starts with a beautiful mind. Cambodia has a lot of beautiful things to offer. So, it would be best if you learned how to say beautiful in Khmer language (ស្អាត / saat). Beautiful is often used for a woman, but you will find many beautiful things that will surely remain in your heart and memories in Cambodia. It can be beautiful places like Angkor Wat, beautiful art pieces like paintings, and beautiful traditional dances by Cambodian dancers. Most of all, you will also fall in love with the people and the country’s history. But, what does the word beautiful actually means?
If you look into the dictionary, the word beautiful (ស្អាត / sat) is an adjective that means “pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically,” from this meaning, the word beautiful (ស្អាត / sat) is not only related to a woman. Instead, anything that pleases your senses. You can find beauty even in small things if you know how to appreciate them.
Ways To Say Beautiful In Khmer
The world is full of beautiful things, and Cambodia is proof of that. They have been blessed with rich culture and good people, which makes them different from others. Their official language, which is Khmer, has a lot to offer. It is a language that even foreigners want to learn when they visit Cambodia. It is a sign of unity among the locals. So, in this blog, you will learn how to say beautiful in Khmer in different ways.
1. ស្អាត (Sat)
English Translation: Beautiful / Pretty
If you are looking for the perfect word to describe a fantastic thing you saw in Cambodia, ស្អាត (sat) is the most straightforward word you can learn. You can use this to describe many things that please you, like Phom Penh from above, Koh Rong Samloem at sunset, and of course, Angkor Wat at sunrise.
You can also use this to describe people, especially women. Cambodian women are expected to be well-mannered, soft-spoken, industrious, and modest. Traditionally, these are the characteristics of a woman that defines beauty. But nowadays, the meaning of a beautiful woman changes. Today, many people believed that being beautiful is more than just having pretty faces and desirable qualities. It is more about self-acceptance.
2. មានមន្តស្នេហ៍ (Mean Mont Sne)
English Translation– Charming
Have you ever seen someone extremely pleasing and delightful? Well, មានមន្តស្នេហ៍ (mean mont sne) is the word you can use to describe that person. មានមន្តស្នេហ៍ (mean mont sne) is also a way of saying beautiful in Khmer. If you see someone or something charming, it can easily make you smile and be stunned. Try to learn this word because you might use it when you met someone really charming in Cambodia.
3. គួរឱ្យទាក់ទាញ (Kuor Aoy Teakteanh)
English Translation: Attractive
There are times when you looked at someone beautiful, and you have no words to describe how amazed you are, then that person appears attractive to you គួរឱ្យទាក់ទាញ (kuor aoy teakteanh). If you get attracted to someone, it means that they have something that pleased you. Every person has their own definition of being attractive. Some are attracted to looks, while some are attracted to personalities. Others also consider intelligence as an attractive គួរឱ្យទាក់ទាញ (uor aoy teakteanh). Whatever the reason might be, let us remember that attraction is only intensified when a mystery is involved.
4. ល្អមើល (La Meul)
English Translation: Good-looking
Everywhere you look in Cambodia, you will always find and meet good-looking (ល្អមើល la meul) people. Nowadays, people are concerned about being good-looking and appealing to other people, especially to the ones they love. But, just like what they say, good looks only take you so far. We have a lot more to offer than looking good.
5. ស្រស់ស្អាតដូចរូបភាព (Srasa Saat Dauch Roubpheap)
English Translation: As pretty as a picture
In this modern-day, filters and photo editing has been prevalent, especially in different social media platforms. People tend to make everything about look perfect and flawless to attract and amaze other people. That is why sometimes when you meet these people in person, they completely look different compared to their photos. When you meet a person who looks just like they are in a picture, you can use the adjective, ស្រស់ស្អាតដូចរូបភាព (srasa saat dauch roubpheap).
You can say beautiful in different languages. In French, you can say “belle(feminine).” In Cantonese, you can say, “美麗 (mei5 lai6)“. In Tagalog, you can say, “Maganda“. There are different ways to say beautiful in many languages. Being beautiful means different for every individual. Being beautiful starts when you believe that you are. Do not let anyone define beauty based on their own understanding and beliefs. At the end of the day, it is you who knows and sees your own beauty.
Beautiful is not only used for people. It can also be used in everything that you find pleasing. Cambodia has a lot of beauty to offer. You just have to discover what’s beneath the beautiful smile of the Cambodian people. Add the words above to your Khmer vocabulary and continue learning their beautiful language – the Khmer language.
Phrases And Expression Related To Beautiful In Khmer
Now that you have learned different ways to say beautiful in Khmer, you can move on to learning some Khmer phrases and expressions related to beautiful. Being told that you are beautiful is one of the greatest feelings in the world. You tend to be flattered and inspired because you know someone appreciates you.
Khmer | Pronunciation | English Tranlation |
មនុស្សល្អមើល | mnoussa la meul | Good-looking person |
ប្រទេសដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាត | bratesa da srasa saat | Beautiful country |
ភាសាដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាត | pheasaea da srasa saat | Beautiful language |
សួន ច្បារ ដ៏ ល្អ បំព្រង មួយ | suon chbar da la bamprong muoy | A Beautiful Garden |
អ្នកពិតជាស្រស់ស្អាត | anak pitchea srasa saat | You are beautiful |
អ្នកមានសម្រស់ស្រស់ស្អាត។ | anak mean samrosa srasa saat | You are so beautiful. |
គាត់មើលទៅគួរឱ្យទាក់ទាញ។ | keat meul tow kuor aoy teakteanh | He looks attractive. |
អ្នកគឺជាបុរសសង្ | anak kuchea borsa sanghea | You are handsome. |
សេចក្ដី បរិសុទ្ធ គួរ ទាក់ ទាញ ទឹក ចិត្ត យើង ដូច ជា សោភ័ណ ភាព | sechakdei brisotth kuor teak teanh tuk chett yeung dauch chea saophn pheap | As beauty attracts us, so should holiness. |
Did You Enjoy Learning Khmer?
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2 Responses
Thank you for this post. These words are used in kind ways in Cambodia. It is helpful for someone like myself who is from a western country where these words are used sparingly.
Sometimes people are even quite defensive about it & its nice to see people lifting up others.
I found Khmer people to be thoughtful and kind when I was there.
I suppose it’s good to know the meaning and context of the words so they can be used with discernment.
Everything has value and beauty & it seems if done in a good manner, it can show appreciation. May you be blessed in your work,
Jess.
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