ຄຳ

See also: ຄ່ຳ

Lao

Pronunciation

• (Vientiane) IPA^(key): [kʰam˧˥]
• (Luang Prabang) IPA^(key): [kʰam˩˨]
• Hyphenation: ຄຳ
• Rhymes: -am

Etymology 1

From Proto-Tai *ɡamᴬ (“bite (n.); speech”). Cognate with Ahom 𑜁𑜪𑜨 (khäam), Thai คำ (kam), Northern Thai ᨣᩴᩤ, Lü ᦅᧄ (kam).

Noun

ຄຳ • (kham)

1. word
2. speech

Derived terms

• ຄຳສັນຍາ (kham san nyā, “promise”)
• ຄຳຖາມ (kham thām, “question”)

Etymology 2

From Old Chinese 金 (OC *krɯm). Cognate with Thai คำ (kam), Northern Thai ᨤᩴᩣ, Lü ᦆᧄ (xam), Shan ၶမ်း (khám), Ahom 𑜁𑜪 (khaṃ) or 𑜁𑜞𑜪 (khraṃ), Zhuang gim, Saek กฺั๊ม.

Noun

ຄຳ • (kham)

1. gold

Derived terms

• ຄຳຂາວ (kham khāo, “platinum”)
• ຫໍຄຳ (hǭ kham)

Etymology 3

Cognate with Thai คลำ (klam), Northern Thai ᨣᩤᩴ, Lü ᦅᧄ (kam), Shan ၵမ်း (kám).

Verb

ຄຳ • (kham) (abstract noun ການຄຳ)

1. to caress, fondle, stroke
2. to touch, feel (by hand)