យឺត
yɨɨt
The Khmer word for slow is យឺត (yɨɨt).
The word យឺត is used to describe something that is not quick in motion, such as a slow speed. It is also the standard word used to indicate that someone or something is late.
Meaning: not quick in motion (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is yɨɨt.
Did you know?
- The word យឺត is borrowed from the Thai word ยืด, which originally meant 'stretching' or 'extending' something.
- While 'slow' in English is often a neutral observation of speed, using យឺត to describe a person's mental speed can be perceived as a sharp social insult.
- To tell a driver to 'slow down', a Khmer speaker typically combines យឺត with a separate word meaning 'reduce' rather than using the adjective by itself.
Examples in context
- គាត់ដើរយឺតណាស់។koat der yeut nah.He walks very slowly.
Example conversation
Narong and Chinda are walking together to a store.
- ចិន្តា Chindaណារ៉ុង ដើរលឿនបន្តិច!Narong, der leun bonteck!Narong, walk a little faster!
- ណារ៉ុង Narongខ្ញុំដើរយឺត ព្រោះខ្ញុំហត់។khnom der yeut, proah khnom hat.I am walking slow because I am tired.
- ចិន្តា Chindaតើយើងនឹងទៅដល់ពេលណា?tae yeung nung tov dol pel na?When will we arrive?
- ណារ៉ុង Narongចាំខ្ញុំបន្តិច ចិន្តា។cham khnom bonteck, Chinda.Wait for me a moment, Chinda.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slow” translations and entries យឺត, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries យឺត, CC BY-SA 4.0.
