**Cambodian proverbs—known in Khmer as សុភាសិត (sô‑phéa‑sêt)—are mini‑packages of ancestral wisdom that Cambodians still quote at weddings, in classrooms, over market stalls and on social media. They celebrate perseverance, harmony, humility and practical intelligence, all filtered through Buddhist ethics and the realities of life in a rice‑growing society. Below you’ll find fifteen of the most uplifting sayings, grouped by theme, with Khmer script, easy phonetic guides, literal meanings and modern‑day inspiration so you can sprinkle a little Khmer positivity into your own life.
Perseverance & Growth — «Keep going, the harvest is coming!»
| Khmer proverb | Phonetic | Literal image | Everyday takeaway |
| តក់ៗពេញបំពង់ | tŏk‑tŏk pénh bâm‑pông | “Drop by drop fills the bucket.” | Small, steady actions compound into big wins—perfect for saving, learning or lifting. |
| ដៃដើមមិនទទេ ពោះមិនឃ្លាន | “Dai dœm mĭn tœ‑té, puəh mĭn kléan” | “Active hands, full bellies.” | Hustle first, feast later; effort is the best insurance against hunger. |
| ត្រូវហែលទន្លេតាមកោងរបស់វា ចូលប្រទេសតាមទម្លាប់របស់វា | trəv haél tônlé tam kāŏng rô‑bâh va, chol prâ‑tés tam tŭm‑láp rô‑bâh va | “Navigate a river by its bends; enter a country by its customs.” | Adaptability turns strangers into friends and obstacles into opportunities. |
| ដុតឲ្យខ្លួនឆ្កួត ឬទុកឲ្យឆៅ | dôt aoey kluan chkuôt, rœ tuk aoey chhɨv | “Burn it to a crisp or leave it raw.” | Commit 100 % or rethink the task—half‑hearted work rarely dazzles. |
Patience & Emotional Mastery — «Cool hearts, clear minds»
| Khmer proverb | Phonetic | Literal image | Everyday takeaway |
| បើអត់ធ្មត់ពេលខឹងមួយ នឹងជៀសផុត១០០ថ្ងៃទុក្ខ | bœ ât‑thmât pél kʰəng muôy, nɨng chiéh phŏt rŏy thngai tŭk | “Patient in one moment of anger, you escape a hundred days of sorrow.” | Breathe first; a calm reply can save months of damage. |
| កុំឲ្យបុរសខឹងលាងចាន កុំឲ្យបុរសឃ្លានថែអង្ករ | kŏm aoey bô‑rŏh kʰəng liêng chān, kŏm aoey bô‑rŏh kléan thaé âng‑kâw | “Don’t let an angry man wash dishes; don’t let a hungry man guard rice.” | Hand tasks to people in the right mindset; emotion clouds judgment. |
| សួរព័ត៌មានពីចិត្ត សួរពីមុខមាត់ | suŏ poa‑méan pi chêt, suŏ pi mukh‑mât | “For news of the heart, ask the face.” | Body language rarely lies—tune in before you speak. |
Humility & Lifelong Learning — «Bend with wisdom, rise with rice»
| Khmer proverb | Phonetic | Literal image | Everyday takeaway |
| កន្ទ្រៀងអង្កត់ឈរល្ទម្ព សំបរាមង្គរ ទំនងត្រលប់ | kân‑triêng âng‑kat chʰə lʔtôm, sâm‑ba ra măng‑kôr tŭm‑nŏng trâlôb | “The immature rice stalk stands tall; the ripe stalk bows.” | True knowledge makes us humble; empty pride stands rigid. |
| ចំណីក្រពះគឺអាហារ ចំណីប្រាជ្ញាគឺសៀវភៅ | châm‑nei krâ‑péh kɨ â‑hâ, châm‑nei brach‑néa kɨ siév‑phăv | “Food for the stomach is rice; food for the mind is books.” | Keep feeding your brain; it gets hungry too! |
Unity & Community — «Together we’re unbreakable»
| Khmer proverb | Phonetic | Literal image | Everyday takeaway |
| សំពុំឈើច្រើន មិនអាចបាក់ | sâm‑pôm chhœ chrœn mĭn ách bak | “A bundle of sticks cannot be broken.” | Collaboration multiplies strength; look after your crew. |
| សត្វខ្លាពឹងព្រៃ ព្រៃពឹងខ្លា | sât kʰla pœng préi, préi pœng kʰla | “The tiger needs the forest; the forest needs the tiger.” | Healthy systems depend on every member—nurture the ecosystem around you. |
Ethics & Prudence — «Choose well, live well»
| Khmer proverb | Phonetic | Literal image | Everyday takeaway |
| មនុស្សឆាប់យករបស់ គេអោយ ក៏ខូច | mân‑uh chʰap yok rô‑bâh kê aoey kôr khōch | “People give, but don’t be in a hurry to take.” | Gratitude first, greed later—patience earns respect. |
| លួចអាចចំណេញ ប៉ុន្តែការសូត្រ អាចបាត់ជីវិត | luŏch ách châm‑nɨnh, pôn‑té kar sôt ách bat chi‑vĭt | “Stealing may bring profit, but hanging costs far more.” | Short‑cuts can have long penalties; choose integrity. |
| កុំកាត់ដើមឈើ ដើម្បីយកផ្លែ | kŏm kat dœm chʰœ dœm‑bây yok phlé | “You don’t have to cut the tree down to get the fruit.” | Think long‑term; protect your assets while reaping rewards. |
How to weave these gems into your day
- Morning mantra. Pick one proverb each week and repeat it during your warm‑up sets or commute.
- Visual cues. Write the Khmer script on sticky notes around your workspace or gym—learning the characters adds cultural respect points.
- Story sharing. When mentoring teammates or pitching ideas, open with a proverb; it instantly anchors abstract advice in a vivid picture.
- Micro‑journaling. End the day by noting a moment when a proverb applied—watch your “drop by drop” bucket fill with insights!
Want more?
- Browse the full 23‑proverb list on Sabai Adventures’ blog for additional sayings and context.
- Enjoy Ruth’s humorous explanations on the “Lemon in Cambodia” expat blog.
- Explore a bilingual 100‑proverb compendium with side‑by‑side English and Khmer translations for language practice.
- Watch the “20 Inspiring Cambodian Quotes” video on YouTube for pronunciation help.
Keep these proverbs close, and may each drop of wisdom fill your bucket until it overflows with joy, grit and Khmer‑style greatness!