ខ្លាឃ្មុំ
khlaa khmum
The English word bear (the large mammal) is translated into Khmer as ខ្លាឃ្មុំ (khlaa khmum).
ខ្លាឃ្មុំ is used specifically to refer to the large mammal of the family Ursidae. It should not be confused with the verb ដឹក, which means to carry.
Meaning: large mammal of family Ursidae (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ខ្លាឃ្មុំ is a compound of two parts: ខ្លា (khlaa), which means tiger and ឃ្មុំ (khmum), which means bee.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
khlaa khmum
Did you know?
- The word ឃ្មុំ for bee is used in ខ្លាឃ្មុំ likely due to the bear's famous fondness for honey.
- In Khmer culture, the tiger ខ្លា is a symbol of power and authority, which explains why it is embedded in the name for the bear.
- The word ខ្លា (tiger) is used as a prefix for several powerful or fierce animals in Khmer, not just for the bear.
Examples in context
- ទុកចិត្តលើខ្លាឃ្មុំ!Trust the bear!This sentence shows how to use the word ខ្លាឃ្មុំ in a command to trust the animal.Tatoeba #11486170 by Vethya, translation #1697727 by shekitten
- ខ្ញុំបានឃើញខ្លាឃ្មុំមួយក្បាលនៅក្នុងព្រៃ។khnhom ban kheunh khla khmum mouy kbal knong prey.I saw a bear in the forest.
Example conversation
Sok and Sreyni are looking at animals in a zoo.
- សុខ Sokមើលនោះ ស្រីនី! វាគឺជាខ្លាឃ្មុំ។meul noh Sreyni! vea keu chea khla khmum.Look, Sreyni! That is a bear.
- ស្រីនី Sreynyវាធំខ្លាំងណាស់!vea thom khlang nah!It is very big!
- សុខ Sokបាទ វាពិតជាធំមែន។bat vea pit chea thom men.Yes, it really is big.
- ស្រីនី Sreynyខ្ញុំខ្លាចខ្លាឃ្មុំនេះណាស់។khnhom khlach khla khmum nis nah.I am very afraid of this bear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bear” translations and entries ខ្លាឃ្មុំ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
