សំរាម
sɑmraam
The Khmer word for "trash" is សំរាម (sɑmraam). Wiktionary also lists ឡាប់សង (lapsɑɑng).
Meaning: things to be discarded (noun)
Ways to say it
| Khmer | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| សំរាម | sɑmraam |
| ឡាប់សង | lapsɑɑng |
The word is used to refer to things that are to be discarded, such as garbage or waste.
Which one should you use?
សំរាម is the standard, most common word for trash or garbage used in everyday conversation. The form ឡាប់សង is also available.
How do you pronounce it?
sɑmraam
Did you know?
- The word សំរាម is sometimes used in Buddhist contexts to describe 'mental impurities' or the 'trash' of the mind that one must clear through meditation.
- Khmer culture emphasizes a 'clean heart' ចិត្តស្អាត, and calling someone's words សំរាម is a severe insult implying their speech is worthless and polluting.
- In Cambodia, certain types of 'trash' like plastic bottles are often viewed more as 'currency' because they are easily collected and sold to recycling centers.
Examples in context
- សូមជួយយកសំរាមទៅចោល។som jouy yok somram tov jol.Please take the trash out.
- កុំបោះសំរាមនៅទីនេះ។kom boh somram nov ti nis.Do not throw trash here.
Example conversation
Vibol and Sreynee are cleaning the living room.
- វិបុល Vibolស្រីនី តើមានសំរាមច្រើនទេ?Sreynee tae mean somram jreun te?Sreynee, is there much trash?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyមានច្រើនណាស់ វិបុល។mean jreun nah, Vibol.There is a lot, Vibol.
- វិបុល Vibolតើខ្ញុំត្រូវយកសំរាមនេះទៅណា?tae khnom trov yok somram nis tov na?Where should I take this trash?
- ស្រីនី Sreynyយកទៅដាក់ក្នុងធុងនៅខាងក្រៅ។yok tov dak knong thung nov khang krau.Take it to the bin outside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trash” translations and entries សំរាម, ឡាប់សង, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
