How to Say “Happy Cambodian New Year” in Khmer

រីករាយពិធីបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មីប្រពៃណីជាតិខ្មែរ
rikreay pithei bon choul chhnam thmei prapenei cheat khmer
To say "happy cambodian new year" in Khmer, use រីករាយពិធីបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មីប្រពៃណីជាតិខ្មែរ (rikreay pithei bon choul chhnam thmei prapenei cheat khmer).
This phrase is used as a greeting to wish someone a joyful celebration of the traditional Cambodian New Year, which is known in Khmer as Choul Chnam Thmey.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of rikreay (happy), pithei bon (festival/celebration), choul chhnam thmei (new year), prapenei (traditional), cheat (national) and khmer (Khmer).

How do you pronounce it?

rikreay pithei bon choul chhnam thmei prapenei cheat khmer

Did you know?

  • The word bon in the phrase refers to a 'merit-making' ceremony, meaning that wishing someone a 'happy new year' is linguistically tied to the Buddhist concept of gaining spiritual merit.
  • The celebration associated with this phrase involves a unique tradition of washing the feet of parents and elders with scented water as a sign of respect.
  • The term Choul Chnam Thmey literally means 'entering the new year', reflecting a linguistic view of time as a threshold one physically crosses.

Examples in context

  • សូមជូនពរ រីករាយពិធីបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មីប្រពៃណីជាតិខ្មែរ!
    som choun por reak reay piti bon chol chnam thmei propey ni cheat khmer!
    I wish you a happy Cambodian New Year!

Example conversation

Two friends meet during the holiday.

  1. វិបុល Vibol

    សួស្តីស្រីនី! រីករាយពិធីបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មីប្រពៃណីជាតិខ្មែរ!
    Soursdey Sreyny! Rikreay pithi bon chol chnam thmei propheni cheat Khmer!
    Hello Sreyny! Happy Cambodian New Year!
  2. ស្រីនី Sreyny

    អរគុណវិបុល! រីករាយពិធីបុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មីដូចគ្នា!
    Orkun Vibol! Rikreay pithi bon chol chnam thmei doch knea!
    Thank you Vibol! Happy New Year to you too!
  3. វិបុល Vibol

    តើអ្នកនឹងទៅលេងស្រុកកំណើតទេ?
    Tae neak neng tov leng srok kamneurt te?
    Are you going back to your hometown?
  4. ស្រីនី Sreyny

    បាទ ខ្ញុំនឹងទៅជាមួយគ្រួសារខ្ញុំ។
    Bat, knhom neng tov cheamuoy krousar knhom.
    Yes, I am going with my family.
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Haley Marie
Haley MarieHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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