ផ្លែប៉ោម
phlae paom
The word for apple in Khmer is ផ្លែប៉ោម (phlae paom).
The word refers to the fruit of the Malus domestica.
Meaning: fruit of Malus domestica (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a compound where ផ្លែ acts as the noun or classifier for fruit, and it precedes the specific name of the fruit, ប៉ោម.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Khmer, the word for apple is a compound where the classifier/noun for fruit ផ្លែ precedes the specific name of the fruit ប៉ោម.
How do you pronounce it?
phlae paom
Did you know?
- The word ប៉ោម sounds almost identical to the English word 'pomme', which is the French word for apple. This is because many modern fruit names in Khmer were borrowed from colonial-era influences rather than indigenous roots.
- In traditional Khmer medicine, certain types of 'apples' like the rose apple are valued more for their cooling properties and water content than the crisp sweetness of a Western apple.
- When counting apples, you must use the classifier ផ្លែ, so 'three apples' becomes ប៉ោមបីផ្លែ rather than just using a number.
Examples in context
- ខ្ញុំចង់ញ៉ាំផ្លែប៉ោមមួយផ្លែ។khnhom chong nham phlae paom mouy phlae.I want to eat an apple.
- ផ្លែប៉ោមនេះមានរសជាតិផ្អែម។phlae paom nih mean roas cheat phaet.This apple tastes sweet.
- តើមានផ្លែប៉ោមនៅក្នុងទូទឹកកកទេ?tae mean phlae paom nov knong tou teuk kok te?Is there an apple in the refrigerator?
Example conversation
Sreyni and Ratana are at the market.
- រតនៈ Ratanakតើអ្នកចង់ទិញអ្វីខ្លះ?tae neak chong tinh avei khlah?What do you want to buy?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyខ្ញុំចង់ទិញផ្លែប៉ោមខ្លះ។khnhom chong tinh phlae paom khlah.I want to buy some apples.
- រតនៈ Ratanakតើអ្នកចង់បានផ្លែប៉ោមពណ៌អ្វី?tae neak chong ban phlae paom poa avei?What color apples do you want?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyខ្ញុំចង់បានផ្លែប៉ោមពណ៌ក្រហម។khnhom chong ban phlae paom poa krahorm.I want red apples.
