ເຂົ້າ
khao[kʰaw˧˩]
Rice in Lao is ເຂົ້າ (khao).
The word ເຂົ້າ refers to the seeds used as food and covers both raw and cooked rice.
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ເຂົ້າ is the general term for rice in any state, you can be more specific: ເຂົ້າສານ refers specifically to polished or milled rice used for eating and ເຂົ້າໜຽວ refers to sticky rice (glutinous rice), which is a staple of the cuisine.
How do you pronounce it?
khao
Did you know?
- The Lao word for rice ເຂົ້າ is a homonym that also means 'to enter'.
- In Laos, the most common way to eat ເຂົ້າ is by using the fingers to pinch and roll sticky rice into a small ball, which then serves as a utensil to scoop up other foods.
- The term ເຂົ້າ is used in various compound words to describe not just the grain, but the entire act of eating a meal.
Examples in context
- ຂ້ອຍຢາກກິນເຂົ້າ.khoy yak kin khao.I want to eat rice.
- ເຂົ້າຖົງນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ?khao thong nee la kha thao dai?How much is this bag of rice?
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about dinner.
- Aເຈົ້າຢາກກິນເຂົ້າບໍ່?chao yak kin khao bo?Do you want to eat rice?
- Bແມ່ນ, ຂ້ອຍຫິວເຂົ້າຫຼາຍ.maen, khoy hiu khao lai.Yes, I am very hungry for rice.
- Aເຮົາມີເຂົ້າໜຽວ ແລະ ເຂົ້າສານ.hao mi khao niao lae khao san.We have sticky rice and raw rice.
- Bເອົາເຂົ້າໜຽວກໍໄດ້.ao khao niao kor dai.Sticky rice is fine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries ເຂົ້າ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ເຂົ້າ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
