មីង
ming
The Khmer word for aunt is មីង (ming), used for an aunt who is younger than your parent.
Khmer kinship words depend on age. មីង is a younger sister of your mother or father. An aunt older than your parent is called by a different word.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
When do people say it?
មីង is also a friendly way to address a woman around your parents' age, even when she is not a relative.
Did you know?
- The choice between using មីង and អ៊ុំ is determined by your parents' age, not the age of the woman you are talking to.
- In many English-speaking cultures, calling a stranger 'aunt' sounds overly familiar, but in Khmer, failing to use a kinship term like មីង can make you seem cold or rude.
- The word មីង acts as a social lubricant in markets, where treating a stranger as a relative helps build a trusting environment for bargaining.
Examples in context
- មីងរបស់ខ្ញុំចិត្តល្អណាស់។ming robos khnhom chet lor nah.My aunt is very kind.
- តើអ្នកមីងមកពីណា?tae neak ming mok pi na?Where is your aunt from?
- ខ្ញុំទៅផ្ទះមីងនៅថ្ងៃនេះ។khnhom tov pteah ming nov thngai nih.I am going to my aunt's house today.
Example conversation
Vibol tells Mali about his family visit.
- ម៉ាលី Malyអ្នកទៅណាថ្ងៃសៅរ៍នេះ?neak tov na thngai sao nih?Where are you going this Saturday?
- វិបុល Vibolខ្ញុំទៅជួបមីងរបស់ខ្ញុំ។khnhom tov chuob ming robos khnhom.I am going to see my aunt.
- ម៉ាលី Malyតើគាត់រស់នៅទីណា?tae koat ros nov ti na?Where does she live?
- វិបុល Vibolមីងខ្ញុំរស់នៅខេត្តសៀមរាប។ming khnhom ros nov khet siem reap.My aunt lives in Siem Reap province.
