អាក្រក់
ʼaakrɑk
The Khmer word for "ugly" is អាក្រក់ (ʼaakrɑk).
អាក្រក់ is used to describe something that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing. However, depending on the context, this word is also used more broadly to mean "bad," referring to things that are qualitatively poor or morally bad.
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
ʼaakrɑk
Did you know?
- While អាក្រក់ means 'ugly' or 'bad', Khmer speakers often use the phrase អាក្រក់មើល to specify that something is only ugly in appearance and not morally bad.
- In Khmer, describing a situation as អាក្រក់ can imply that the situation is 'unlucky' or 'ill-omened' rather than just visually unappealing.
- Using អាក្រក់ to describe a person's character is considered a very strong and direct insult in Cambodian culture.
Examples in context
- រូបភាពនេះអាក្រក់ណាស់។rubpheap nih akrok nah.This picture is very ugly.
- វាមានរូបរាងអាក្រក់។vea mean rubreang akrok.It has an ugly shape.
Example conversation
Sokha and Ratanak are looking at a piece of art.
- រតនៈ Ratanakតើអ្នកគិតយ៉ាងណាពីគំនូរនេះ?tae neak kit yang na pi komnu nih?What do you think of this painting?
- សុខា Sokhaវាអាក្រក់ណាស់ រតនៈ។vea akrak nah, Ratanak.It is very ugly, Ratanak.
- រតនៈ Ratanakមែនទេ? ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្តវា។men te? khnhom chol chet vea.Really? I like it.
- សុខា Sokhaខ្ញុំមិនយល់ស្របជាមួយអ្នកទេ។khnhom min yol srob chea muoy neak te.I don't agree with you.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry អាក្រក់, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
