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Khmer Alphabet
Khmer Script
The Khmer script descends from ancient Brahmi script. It is an abugida with 33 consonants in two series, each with different inherent vowels. Khmer script was the first Southeast Asian script to record a zero in an inscription (683 CE).
Consonants
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| α | Ko | k | like 'k' in 'key' |
| α | Kho | kh | like 'kh' (aspirated) |
| α | Ko (voiced) | k / g | like 'g' in 'go' |
| α | Kho (voiced) | kh | like 'g' (breathy) |
| α | Ngo | ng | like 'ng' in 'sing' |
| α | Co | ch | like 'ch' in 'cheese' |
| α | Cho | chh | like 'ch' (aspirated) |
| α | Co (voiced) | j | like 'j' in 'jam' |
| α | Cho (voiced) | jh | like 'j' (breathy) |
| α | Nyo | ny | like 'ny' in 'canyon' |
| α | Do | d | a retroflex 'd' |
| α | Tho | th | like 't' (aspirated, retroflex) |
| α | No | n | a retroflex 'n' |
| α | To | t | like 't' in 'top' |
| α | Tho | th | like 't' (aspirated) |
| α | To (voiced) | d | like 'd' in 'dog' |
| α | No | n | like 'n' in 'night' |
| α | Bo | b / p | like 'b' in 'book' |
| α | Pho | ph | like 'p' (aspirated) |
| α | Po (voiced) | p / b | like 'b' in 'book' |
| α | Pho (voiced) | ph | like 'b' (breathy) |
| α | Mo | m | like 'm' in 'moon' |
| α | Yo | y | like 'y' in 'yes' |
| α | Ro | r | a rolled 'r' |
| α | Lo | l | like 'l' in 'lamp' |
| α | Vo | v / w | like 'v' or 'w' |
| α | So | s | like 's' in 'sun' |
| α | Ho | h | like 'h' in 'house' |
| α’ | Ao | ΚΎ / a | like 'a' in 'apple' |
Independent Vowels
| Character | Name | Romanization | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| α₯ | I | i | like 'i' in 'sit' |
| α¦ | Ii | Δ« | like 'ee' in 'meet' |
| α§ | U | u | like 'u' in 'put' |
| α© | Uu | Ε« | like 'oo' in 'moon' |
| α― | E | e | like 'e' in 'they' |
| α± | O | o | like 'o' in 'go' |