Cambodia – is a French corruption of Kampuchea.
Cyclo – a peddle-powered tricycle taxi with a seat in the front found mainly in Phnom Penh.
Dharma – the Buddhist Scriptures.
Kampuchea – is the Khmer name for Cambodia, a derivative from the Sanskrit ‘Kambuja’, the name of a tribe in India from whom the Khmers are thought to have originated.
Khmer – Cambodia’s indigenous dominant ethnic group.
Krama – is a traditional Khmer scarf used to shield people from the sun, a hammock, a sarong used also to carry things.
Maquis – the name given to the underground French resistance that fought against German occupation in World War Two, also used to describe the Khmer Rouge clandestine liberated areas in the lead-up to their takeover.
Pagoda – a Buddhist temple building used for worship which houses a large Buddha statue and where ceremonies and rituals are held.
Sala – is an open building usually found on the edge of villages or in the grounds of a temple, used for meetings and ceremonies.
Sangha – the Buddhist monastic order.
Sompeah – traditional Cambodian greeting where palms are placed together as in prayer. It also denotes respect, depending on how high the hands are held. The higher the gesture, the more respect is being shown.
Stupa – a Buddhist shrine used to house relics or the remains of relatives who have been cremated, similar to the shape of a bell.
Ta –‘Ta’ as in Ta Mok means ‘Grandpa’. An honorific title for anyone of that age or any man of middle age and above–a status superior. It is a term that emphasises respect rather than affection.
Wat – a Buddhist temple or monastery.