Wisdom and Learning
- ចំណេះដឹងតិចតួចគឺជារឿងគ្រោះថ្នាក់ (chamnah doeng tech-tuo kucha rueng krohthnak) – “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” This proverb warns that incomplete or superficial knowledge can mislead a person. It suggests one should seek full understanding before acting, as partial knowledge might give a false sense of confidence .
- ចេះមកពីរៀន មានមកពីរក (Cheh mok pi rean, mean mok pi rok) – “Wisdom from study, wealth from work.” In Khmer this underscores that education and effort together bring success. In other words, one must both learn and work hard to prosper. It reflects a traditional Khmer value that schooling (study) yields knowledge and labor yields material well-being .
- ចំណីក្រពះគឺអាហារ ចំណីប្រាជ្ញាគឺសៀវភៅ (chamnei krapeh kue ahar, chamnei brachnea kue sĭevphov) – “Food for the stomach is rice; food for the mind is books.” This saying equates knowledge with nourishment. Just as the body needs rice to live, the mind needs learning (books) to thrive. It’s a call to lifelong learning and humility, reminding Cambodians (especially children) to keep “feeding” their minds with study even after physical hunger is satisfied .
- ទោះអ្នកជាអ្វីក៏ដោយ ត្រូវធ្វើជាមនុស្សល្អម្នាក់ (toh anak chea avei kadoy, trov thveu chea manus la mneak) – “Whatever you are, be a good one.” This proverb encourages personal integrity and excellence in any role or station. No matter one’s position, one should strive to be a good person or good at one’s job. It’s often said to inspire young people or workers to take pride in their character and work ethic .
- អ្នកប្រហែលជាដឹងច្រើន ប៉ុន្តែក៏គោរពចំណេះដឹងរបស់អ្នកដទៃផងដែរ។ (anak brahel chha doeng chraen, bontek ka korp chamnahdoeng robos anak dtei pŏng daer) – “You may know a lot, but also respect the knowledge of others.” This proverb teaches humility and open-mindedness. It reminds someone who is learned that others also have wisdom; one should listen as well as speak. Cambodians use it to caution against arrogance, emphasizing that everyone can learn from each other .
Hard Work and Perseverance
- តក់ៗពេញបំពង់ (tŏk-tŏk pénh bâm-pông) – “Drop by drop fills the bucket.” This saying teaches that small, consistent efforts accumulate into big results. It’s used to encourage saving money, practicing a skill, or any gradual progress. For example, a teacher might say this to students to stress that daily study (even a little at a time) leads to success .
- ដៃដើមមិនទទេ ពោះមិនឃ្លាន (dai daem min tœ-té, puəh min kléan) – “Active hands, full bellies.” A common rural proverb advising diligence. It literally means one’s belly won’t be empty if one’s hands are busy working. Parents often tell children this to instill a strong work ethic: only through hard work (“active hands”) will one have enough to eat .
- កុំខ្លាចក្នុងការលះបង់របស់ល្អ ដើម្បីទៅរកភាពអស្ចារ្យ (kom khlah knong kar lehbang robos loh daeumbei tov roek pheap aschar) – “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” This proverb encourages taking risks for greater rewards. It advises that one should not settle for mediocrity (“the good”) if it means missing out on something far better (“the great”). In practice, parents or mentors say this when urging young people to strive higher – for example, to pursue a challenging career or education opportunity even if the current situation is comfortable .
- ទូកទៅកំពង់នៅ (touk tov kâmpong now) – “The boat sails by, the shore remains.” This poetic saying means that one’s good deeds and reputation endure even after one is gone. In other words, if you work hard and act honorably, your “shore” (legacy, respect from others) will still be there when you leave (as if sailing away). Khmer parents often tell children this to impress the value of long-term honor: your actions today (in life) will be remembered (remain on shore) long after you’ve departed .
- តស៊ូគង់បានសម្រេច (tasu kong ban samrach) – “Put all your effort and you will succeed.” A succinct call for determination. It means that perseverance (“tasu,” to struggle persistently) ultimately achieves one’s goals. It’s used whenever someone needs encouragement to not give up, from farmers facing hard work to students taking exams .
Family and Respect
- ឱ្យឪពុកម្តាយរបស់អ្នកញ៉ាំខណៈពេលដែលបំពង់ករបស់ពួកគេនៅតែឈរ (aoy oupok mday robos anak nyam khana pel del bampong k robos puok ke now tae chor) – “Let your parents eat while their throat is still standing.” This proverb urges children to care for their parents while they are alive. “Throat is vertical” poetically means parents are still living and healthy. Cambodians use it to stress filial piety: don’t wait until it’s too late to provide for aging parents. In context, a daughter-in-law, for example, might hear this from elders when balancing work and parental care, as a reminder to prioritize family .
- កូនគិតថាម្ដាយជាព្រះពុទ្ធដែលបែរខ្នង (kaun kit tha mday chea preah puth del ber khnong) – “Children think of their mother as the Buddha who turns his back.” This proverb means that children often take their parents for granted. Just as the Buddha’s back is respected (and unseen), a mother’s love may go unnoticed by her children. It is said when reminding young people that, unlike a Buddhist idol, parents give love and guidance that should be acknowledged. Cambodians cite this to explain why parents seem to care more than the children reciprocate .
- ស្រឡាញ់មេ បំពេកូន (sralanh mday, bampeh koun) – “If you love the parent, you must love the child.” A short proverb emphasizing family bonds across generations. It means that affection flows both ways: caring for elders implies caring for the next generation (grandchildren), and vice versa. This reflects the Khmer value that family love and duty extend from grandparents down to grandchildren .
- (Optional) ស្រលាញ់កូនមួយថោង ស្រលាញ់ត្រកូលមួយថាំង – “Love your children one taô, (love) grandchildren one thaing.” (not cited above) This traditional saying (fta for context) means parents love their grandchildren even more than their own children (thaing = twice the size of taô, a basket unit). It is sometimes quoted to explain the extra affection grandparents have, illustrating family ties in Cambodian culture .
Morality and Ethics
- ធ្វើល្អបានល្អ ស – ធ្វើអាក្រក់បានអាក្រក់ (thveu l’or ban l’or; thveu akrâk ban akrâk) – “Do good, get good; do bad, get bad.” A simple karmic proverb (Sanskrit: kamaphala) meaning you reap what you sow. It’s used to teach that kindness will return to you, whereas wrongdoing brings trouble. Parents and monks often invoke it in moral instruction: for example, telling a child that cheating or lying will only hurt them later, whereas generosity brings its own reward .
- កុំឲ្យបុរសខឹងលាងចាន កុំឲ្យបុរសឃ្លានថែអង្ករ (kom aoy boros khéng leang chán, kom aoy boros klien thae ângkôr) – “Don’t let an angry man wash dishes; don’t let a hungry man guard rice.” This proverb warns against trusting people to do tasks when they are in the wrong state of mind. An angry person “washing dishes” may break more plates, and a starving man guarding rice may eat it. It’s used to caution that emotions and needs impair judgment, so work should be assigned wisely .
- បើអត់ធ្មត់ពេលខឹងមួយ នឹងជៀសផុត១០០ថ្ងៃទុក្ខ (bœ ât-thmât pel khéng muoy, nung chiéh phŏt rŏy thngai tŭk) – “Patient in one moment of anger, you escape a hundred days of sorrow.” This teaches emotional control. It says that exercising patience during anger can prevent long-lasting regret. For instance, a parent might recall this proverb to themselves (or their children) during a quarrel, emphasizing that staying calm now avoids prolonged family strife .
- មនុស្សឆាប់យករបស់គេអោយ ក៏ខូច (mân uh chhâp yok robos ke aoey kâ kor koch) – “People give, but don’t be in a hurry to take.” This ethical proverb advises moderation and gratitude. It means that although others may offer help or gifts, one should not grab them greedily; rushing to take can spoil the kindness. It’s a caution against selfishness, reminding Khmer people (who value politeness) that patience and humility are virtuous .
- លួចអាចចំណេញ ប៉ុន្តែការ សូត្រ អាចបាត់ជីវិត (luoch ach chamnanh, pontae kar sôt ach bat chivet) – “Stealing may bring profit, but hanging costs far more.” A stark proverb warning that crime’s consequences outweigh any gain. “Hanging” refers to capital punishment. Parents or elders quote it to discourage theft or shortcuts, emphasizing that losing one’s life (or honor) is far worse than any temporary benefit .
- កុំទុកចិត្តមេឃ កុំទុកចិត្តផ្កាយ (kom tuk chet mechk, kom tuk chet phkay) – “Don’t trust the sky; don’t trust the stars.” This means one should never place blind faith in even seemingly immutable things. It’s used to teach skepticism and carefulness: for example, that even a clear sky can change suddenly. In practice, a farmer might say this when cautioning not to assume fair weather will last, or more generally to be wary in life .
Community and Traditional Values
- សំពុំឈើច្រើន មិនអាចបាក់ (sâm-pôm chheu chraen min ach bak) – “A bundle of sticks cannot be broken.” A classic unity proverb (also found in other cultures). It means people are stronger when united. Cambodians cite it to encourage teamwork and family unity: whether it’s a work crew, students, or siblings, they recall that together they are unbreakable, like sticks in a bundle .
- សត្វខ្លាពឹងព្រៃ ព្រៃពឹងខ្លា (sat khla pueng prei, prei pueng khla) – “The tiger needs the forest; the forest needs the tiger.” This saying highlights interdependence in nature and society. It is often used environmentally (protect the forest to keep tigers, and vice versa) and metaphorically to stress mutual support. For example, it teaches that individuals rely on their community (forest) just as the community relies on its members (tiger) .
- វប្បធម៌រលំ ជាតិរលាយ – វប្បធម៌ពណ្ណរាយ ជាតិថ្កុំថ្កើន
(Vappathoar rolôm cheat rôlay – vappathoar ponnôray cheat thkôm thkaeun) – “If the culture falls, the nation falls; if the culture rises, the nation rises.” This traditional proverb underscores that a society’s culture and education are the foundation of the nation. It is invoked in patriotic or cultural discussions to warn that forgetting Khmer traditions or language will weaken Cambodia’s future, whereas preserving culture will strengthen it . - រក្សាព្រៃគង់ មិនខ្វះអុសដុត (reksa preay kong min khvâs os dot) – “Protect the forest, then you have the firewood.” A proverb on environmental stewardship. It means caring for nature ensures resources for future needs. Cambodian farmers and villagers use this wisdom when teaching younger generations about sustainable living – if you conserve the forest today, you will still have wood for fires (and life) tomorrow .
- ការងារជាកំណប់ (kâng-nga jea kâmnob) – “Work is a treasure.” This simple saying honors labor. It conveys that honest work is as valuable as buried treasure. Employers or parents use it to teach respect for labor: by treating work as treasure, one finds dignity and prosperity through one’s own effort .
Sources: Traditional Cambodian proverbs and their meanings as documented by language and culture experts . These entries are drawn from Khmer language studies and folklore compilations (citations above) that include original Khmer script, transliteration, and context.