កម្ម
kam
The English phrase "karma" is translated into Khmer as កម្ម (kam).
In Khmer, កម្ម is used both in a religious context to express the Buddhist concept of cause and effect and in everyday conversation to describe a person's fate or the consequences of their actions.
Meaning: the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during the successive phases of his existence (noun)
Which one should you use?
While កម្ម refers to karma itself, the term កម្មផល is often used when you want to specifically refer to the "fruit" or the results and consequences of that karma.
How do you pronounce it?
kam
Did you know?
- The Khmer word កម្ម is a direct cognate of the English word 'karma', as both share a common ancestor in the Sanskrit word 'karman'.
- The concept of កម្ម is often used as a social buffer, allowing people to express sympathy for a tragedy without questioning why it happened.
- The word កម្ម is an example of a 'high-register' loanword that is simultaneously used by monks in temples and vendors in street markets.
Examples in context
- គាត់ជឿលើកម្មនិងផល។koat chue leu kam ning phol.He believes in karma and its results.
- យើងត្រូវបង្កើតកម្មល្អ។yeung trov bangkaet kam laor.We must create good karma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “karma” translations and entries កម្ម, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries កម្ម, CC BY-SA 4.0.
