ទន្លេ
tɔɔtŭənlei
The Khmer word for river is ទន្លេ (tɔɔtŭənlei).
ទន្លេ is used to refer to a large stream of water that drains a landmass.
Meaning: large stream which drains a landmass (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
tɔɔtŭənlei
Did you know?
- The phrase ទន្លេ is used in the name of the Tonle Sap, which is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia but is named 'the river of the lake'.
- The Khmer word ទន្លេ is a cognate of the Thai word ทะเล ('tá-lee'), though in modern Thai this word refers to the 'sea' rather than a 'river'.
- In Cambodia, the Mekong River is often referred to as ទន្លេមេគង្គ ('Tonnele Mekong'), but its seasonal reversal of flow creates a unique hydrological phenomenon.
Examples in context
- ទន្លេនេះធំណាស់។tonlé nih thom nas.This river is very big.
- ពួកយើងដើរតាមទន្លេ។puok yer der tam tonlé.We are walking along the river.
- មានទន្លេនៅក្បែរភូមិ។mien tonlé nov kbae phum.There is a river near the village.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a map of Cambodia.
- សុខា Sokhaតើទន្លេនេះឈ្មោះអ្វី?tae tonle nih chmuoh avei?What is the name of this river?
- វិបុល Vibolវាគឺជាទន្លេមេគង្គ។vea ku chea tonle mekong.It is the Mekong River.
- សុខា Sokhaតើវាវែងដែរឬទេ?tae vea veng dae reu te?Is it long?
- វិបុល Vibolបាទ វាវែងណាស់។bat vea veng nah.Yes, it is very long.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “river” translations and entries ទន្លេ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ទន្លេ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
