ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ
khī hư̄ai[kʰiː˧˩.ɲɯːə̯˧˩]
The English word "trash" is translated into Lao as ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ (khī hư̄ai). Wiktionary also lists ຂຍະ (kha nya) and ຄຸມຝອຽ (khum fǭi).
Meaning: things to be discarded (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lao | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ | khī hư̄ai | [kʰiː˧˩.ɲɯːə̯˧˩] (narrow) [kʰiː˥˥˨.ɲɯːə̯˥˥˨] (narrow) |
| ຂຍະ | kha nya | [kʰa(ʔ˧˥).ɲaʔ˧] (narrow) [kʰa(ʔ˩˨).ɲaʔ˧˨] (narrow) |
| ຄຸມຝອຽ | khum fǭi | |
| ມູນຝອຽ | mūn fǭi | |
| ສັງການ | sang kān |
All forms in this list refer to things that are intended to be discarded.
Which one should you use?
The forms provided include ຂຍະ, ຄຸມຝອຽ, ມູນຝອຽ, ສັງການ and ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ.
How do you pronounce it?
khī hư̄ai
Did you know?
- The word ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ combines ຂີ້ meaning 'excrement' or 'dirt' with ເຫຍື້ອ meaning 'remains'. This suggests that in the Lao mindset, general 'trash' is conceptually linked to bodily waste.
- The word ຂຍະ shares a common ancestor with the Sanskrit word kṣaya, which means 'decay' or 'destruction'.
- In many Southeast Asian cultures, including parts of Laos, the concept of 'trash' is often linked to the idea of 'dirt' or 'impurity' that must be ritually or physically removed to maintain harmony.
Examples in context
- ເອົາຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອໄປຖິ້ມ.ao khi nyuo pai thim.Take the trash out.
- ຢ່າຖິ້ມຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອລົງຖະນົນ.ya thim khi nyuo long tha non.Don't throw trash on the road.
- ຖັງຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອນີ້ເຕັມແລ້ວ.thang khi nyuo ni tem laeo.This trash can is full.
Example conversation
A person asks their roommate to help with cleaning.
- Aເຈົ້າຊ່ວຍເອົາຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອໄປຖິ້ມໄດ້ບໍ່?chao xuay ao khi nyuo pai thim dai bo?Can you help take the trash out?
- Bໄດ້, ຂ້ອຍຈະເອົາໄປຖິ້ມດຽວນີ້.dai, khoy cha ao pai thim diao ni.Okay, I will take it out right now.
- Aຂອບໃຈຫຼາຍໆ.khop chai lai lai.Thank you very much.
- Bບໍ່ເປັນຫຍັງ.bo pen yang.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “trash” translations and entries ຂີ້ເຫຍື້ອ, ຂຍະ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ຂຍະ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
