ខៀវ
khiəw
The English word blue is translated into Khmer as ខៀវ (khiəw).
The word ខៀវ is used to describe things that are blue-coloured. Notably, in many contexts, this same word can also be used to refer to the color green.
Meaning: blue-coloured (adj)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
khiəw
Did you know?
- The Khmer word ខៀវ shares an ancestral root with the Thai word เขียว, which specifically means 'green'.
- Some traditional Khmer textiles use ខៀវ to describe shades that an English speaker would call teal or turquoise.
- Because ខៀវ can mean both blue and green, a person might describe a green forest and a blue sky using the same word.
Examples in context
- ភ្នែករបស់នាងពណ៌ខៀវ ។Her eyes are blue.This sentence is useful for describing the colour of someone's eyes using ខៀវ.Tatoeba #4506099 by angkorsovannnaga, translation #471891 by blay_paul
- ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តអាវពណ៌ខៀវនេះ។khnom jol chet av poa khieu nis.I like this blue shirt.
- មេឃពណ៌ខៀវស្រឡះណាស់។mek poa khieu sralah nah.The sky is very clear blue.
Example conversation
Maly and Narong are shopping for a new shirt.
- ម៉ាលី Malyណារ៉ុង តើអ្នកចូលចិត្តអាវពណ៌ខៀវនេះទេ?Narong, tae neak choul chet ao poa khiev nih te?Narong, do you like this blue shirt?
- ណារ៉ុង Narongបាទ ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តវាណាស់។bat, khnhom choul chet vea nah.Yes, I like it very much.
- ម៉ាលី Malyតើវាស័ក្តិសមនឹងអ្នកទេ?tae vea sak som nung neak te?Does it suit you?
- ណារ៉ុង Narongបាទ ពណ៌ខៀវគឺល្អសម្រាប់ខ្ញុំ។bat, poa khiev keu l'or samrab khnhom.Yes, blue is good for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “blue” translations and entries ខៀវ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ខៀវ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
