You might be surprised how useful getting to know the body parts in Khmer can be when visiting Cambodia. They crop up all over the place – when clothes shopping, playing sports, as well as visiting the doctor. In this post, we will list all the necessary vocab and a few useful phrases that should equip you the next time you set foot, hand, or ear in Cambodia.
If you’re planning a trip to Cambodia or simply interested in learning more about the Khmer language and culture, taking the time to learn body parts in Khmer is a great way to deepen your understanding and appreciation of this beautiful country. Not only will it help you communicate more effectively with locals, but it will also show respect for their language and way of life. Let’s get to know more about it in the sections below.
Body Parts In Khmer
From head to toe, Khmer has specific words for each body part, and knowing them is crucial in everyday conversations. In this section, we will explore the vocabulary related to this to help you out with your conversations with the locals.
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| Arm | ដៃ | dai |
| Back | ខ្នង | khnang |
| Blood | ឈាម | chheam |
| Body | រាងកាយ | reangkay |
| Chest | ទ្រូង | troung |
| Ear | ត្រចៀក | trachiek |
| Eye | ភ្នែក | phnek |
| Face | មុខ | moukh |
| Feet | ជើង | cheung |
| Fingers | ម្រាមដៃ | mreamdai |
| Hair | សក់ | sak |
| Hand | ដៃ | dai |
| Heart | បេះដូង | behdaung |
| Leg | ជើង | cheung |
| Mouth | មាត់ | meat |
| Neck | ក | k |
| Nose | ច្រមុះ | chramouh |
| Shoulder | ស្មា | sma |
| Stomach | ពោះ | poh |
| Tongue | អណ្តាត | a nta t |
| Teeth | ធ្មេញ | thmenh |
Sentences Using Khmer Words For Body Parts
In this section, we will put the Khmer vocabulary for body parts into context by providing some sentences that use these words. These sentences will help you understand how to use the words above in different situations.
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| She has beautiful eyes | នាងមានភ្នែកស្រស់ស្អាត | neang mean phnek srasa saat |
| She tastes with her tongue | នាងដឹងរសជាតិដោយសារអណ្ដាតរបស់នាងនាងដឹងរសជាតិដោយសារអណ្ដាតរបស់នាង | neang doeng rosacheate daoysaar andat robsa neang |
| We see with our eyes | យើងមើលឃើញដោយសារភ្នែកទាំងពីររបស់យើង | yeung meulkheunh daoysaar phnek teangpir robsa yeung |
| I smell with my nose | ញុំធុំក្លិនដោយសារច្រមុះរបស់ខ្ញុំ | khnhom thoumklen daoysaar chramouh robsakhnhom |
Staying Healthy In Cambodian
Before traveling to Cambodia, learning some useful vocabulary can be helpful in case of any emergencies or unexpected situations, such as stomach issues from spicy street food or sunburn requiring creams and ointments. Let’s go over that in the table below.
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| Doctor | គ្រូពទ្យ | kru pet |
| Doctor’s surgery | បន្ទប់គ្រូពេទ្យ | bantob kru pet |
| Drugstore | កន្លែងលក់ថ្នាំពេទ្យ | kan leng louk thnam pet |
| Hospital | មន្ទីរពេទ្យ | mun ti pet |
| Illness | ជម្ងឺ | chom nheu |
| Healthy | សុខភាព | sokhpheap |
| Sick | ជម្ងឺ | chomngeu |
| Ache | ឈឺ | chheu |
| I have a stomach ache | ខ្ញុំឈឺពោះ | khnhom cheu pos |
| My legs hurt | ជើងខ្ញុំឈឺ | cheung khnhom chheu |
| My […] ache / My […] hurt | […]របស់ខ្ញុំឈឺ […] | robo khnhom cheu |
| My […] aches / My […] hurts | […]របស់ខ្ញុំឈឺ […] | robos khnhom chheu |
Standards Of Beauty In Cambodia
The media and social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat now shape our perception of beauty, while cultural customs and traditions once dictated standards. However, in Cambodia, the pursuit of lighter skin dates back to French colonialism and is still prevalent today, with a Caucasian complexion seen as a sign of power, wealth, and privilege. According to the locals, Cambodian women face impossible beauty standards influenced by Western ideals, valuing white skin, a tall and slim figure, full breasts, and specific facial features. Men, on the other hand, face less pressure, only needing to grow taller and maintain a fit physique.
Want to use words that can be used as a compliment? Check out the ones we have below.
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| Attractive | ទាក់ទាញ | teakteanh |
| Breathtaking | គួរឱ្យភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល | kuor aoy phnheakphaael |
| Charm | មន្តស្នេហ៍ | mont sne |
| Beautiful | ស្អាត | saat |
| Elegant | ឆើតឆាយ | chaetchay |
| Exquisite | អស្ចារ្យ | aschar |
| Fabulous | អស្ចារ្យ | aschar |
| Feminine | ស្រី | srei |
| Gorgeous | ស្រស់ស្អាត | srasa saat |
| Grace | ព្រះគុណ | preahkoun |
| Incredible | មិនគួរឱ្យជឿ | min kuor aoy chue |
| Inspiration | ការបំផុសគំនិត | kar bamphosakoumnit |
| Natural | ធម្មជាតិ | thommocheate |
| Pretty | ស្អាត | saat |
| Radiant | រស្មី | rosmei |
| Ravishing | ឈ្លើយ | chhleuy |
| Strength | កម្លាំង | kamleang |
| Wonderful | អស្ចារ្យ | aschar |
Sentences Using Khmer Words For Descriptions
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| You are beautiful | អ្នកពិតជាស្រស់ស្អាត | anak pitchea srasa saat |
| You are so beautiful | អ្នកមានសម្រស់ស្រស់ស្អាត។ | anak mean samrosa srasa saat |
| You have beautiful eyes | អ្នកមានភ្នែកដ៏ស្រស់ស្អាត | anak mean phnek da srasa saat |
| He looks attractive | គាត់មើលទៅគួរឱ្យទាក់ទាញ។ | keat meul tow kuor aoy teakteanh |
| You are handsome | អ្នកគឺជាបុរសសង្ | anak kuchea borsa sanghea |
| Good-looking person | មនុស្សល្អមើល | mnoussa la meul |
| I loved you the first time I laid eyes on you | ញុំស្រឡាញ់អ្នករាល់ពេលដំបូងដែលខ្ញុំបានដាក់នៅលើភ្នែករបស់អ្នក | khnhom sraleanh anak real pel dambaung del khnhom ban dak now leu phnek robsa anak |
Internal Human Body Parts In Khmer
This table of vocab is probably not as useful as the rest of the blog for everyday conversation, but while we are on the topic of body parts, let’s have a look at our insides. You never know, they might come in useful if you have to go to the doctor or a hospital for any reason. Touch wood!
| English | Khmer | Transliteration |
| Aorta | អ័រតា | a r ta |
| Artery | សរសៃឈាម | sarsaichham |
| Bladder | ប្លោកនោម | blaoknom |
| Brain | ខួរក្បាល | khuorokbal |
| Esophagus | បំពង់អាហារ | bampngahar |
| Gallbladder | ថង់ទឹកមាត់ | thng tukmeat |
| Heart | បេះដូង | behdaung |
| Intestines | ពោះវៀន | pohvien |
| Kidney | តម្រងនោម | tamrongnom |
| Liver | ថ្លើម | thlaem |
| Pancreas | លំពែង | lompeng |
Learn More With Ling
If this brief foray into body parts in Khmer has given you a taste for more blogs on Cambodia and its people as well as entertaining Khmer lessons, there is plenty to explore with Ling. The Ling app is just a click away and can be found on Google Play and App Store. By simply signing up for a FREE account, you can access in-depth lessons for Khmer and 60+ languages. Try it out today!
