ថើប
thaəp
The word for "kiss" in Khmer is ថើប (thaəp).
ថើប functions as both a noun meaning a touch with the lips and a verb meaning to touch with the lips.
Meaning: a touch with the lips (noun)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
thaəp
Did you know?
- Cambodian parents often show affection to children by pressing their nose against the child's cheek or forehead rather than using a lip kiss like ថើប.
- Rather than using ថើប, traditional Khmer greetings involve the sampeah, where palms are pressed together. A kiss on the cheek is a Western import and is not a native Cambodian greeting.
- The word ថើប is often associated with much more intimate or romantic contexts than the English word 'kiss', which can be used more broadly for friends or family.
Example sentences for Khmer are not verified yet.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- វិបុល Vibolខ្ញុំត្រូវទៅធ្វើការហើយ។khnhom trouv tov thveu kar haey.I have to go to work now.
- ចិន្តា Chindaសុំថើបមួយមក!som thorb muoy mok!Give me a kiss!
- វិបុល Vibolបានហើយ ថើបមួយ!ban haey thorb muoy!Alright, one kiss!
- ចិន្តា Chindaសូមឱ្យមានថ្ងៃល្អណា វិបុល។som oy mean thngai l-or na Vibol.Have a great day, Vibol.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kiss” translations and entries ថើប, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
