ពាក្យអាក្រក់
peak aakrak
The phrase "bad words" in Khmer is ពាក្យអាក្រក់ (peak aakrak).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ពាក្យ (peak) meaning 'word' and អាក្រក់ (aakrak) meaning 'bad'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To emphasize a plurality of bad words, you can use the reduplicated form ពាក្យអាក្រក់ៗ, where the adjective អាក្រក់ is repeated as អាក្រក់ៗ.
How do you pronounce it?
peak aakrak
Did you know?
- In Cambodia, the concept of 'bad words' often refers to 'language levels' rather than just swear words. Using a common word like ពាក្យ (peak) when addressing a monk or royalty is considered a 'bad word' because it is inappropriately informal.
- The concept of 'bad words' in Khmer is deeply tied to the idea of 'speech karma', where spoken insults are believed to have actual spiritual consequences for the speaker.
- The word អាក្រក់ (aakrak) can describe a 'bad word' or a 'bad person', but it is also used to describe something 'ugly' in appearance. To call a word 'ugly' is to comment on its lack of grace and morality.
Examples in context
- កុំប្រើពាក្យអាក្រក់នៅមុខក្មេង។kom prae peak akrok nov muk kmeng.Don't use bad words in front of children.
- គាត់ចូលចិត្តនិយាយពាក្យអាក្រក់ណាស់។koat jol jit niyay peak akrok nah.He likes to say bad words very much.
- ពាក្យអាក្រក់មិនល្អសម្រាប់សីលធម៌ទេ។peak akrok min lo-or samrap selathor te.Bad words are not good for one's manners.
Example conversation
A mother is correcting her son's language.
- សុខ Sokសុខ ហេតុអ្វីបានជានិយាយពាក្យអាក្រក់បែបនេះ?Sok, het ey ban chea niyay peak akrok beb nis?Sok, why are you saying bad words like this?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyខ្ញុំឮគេនិយាយក្នុងសាលា។khnhom leu ke niyay knong sala.I heard them saying it at school.
- សុខ Sokទោះបីជាគេនិយាយ ក៏កូនមិនត្រូវនិយាយពាក្យអាក្រក់ដែរ។toh bey chea ke niyay, kor koun min trouv niyay peak akrok der.Even if they say it, you must not say bad words too.
- ស្រីនី Sreynyបាទ ខ្ញុំសុំទោស ស្រីនី។bat, khnhom som toh, Sreyny.Yes, I am sorry, Sreyny.
