Imagine you are at a service (say a shop, a travel agency or a clinic). Let’s say it’s a clinic. You see a pretty clerk who looks around your age waiting at the reception. You approach her with the very best of your smile; in your mind you prepare to put on the very best of your language.
But before you get a chance to say something, your mood suddenly changes when she says:
Uncle, what can I do for you?
Uncle? You look around only to find out that there is no other uncle other than yourself. And…
your heart sinks like the Titanic
Oh wait! Don’t worry yet. Don’t sink yet. Girls is this true? that it is a normal practice now that most khmer girls would call address the guys (whom they do not know and who look around their age) “poo” (uncle). Why? I also would like to know. So ladies, please tell us the reasons why most of you call us “poo” when apparently we’re not that old enough to be uncles?
In fact I was also called “poo” by a clerk at a dental clinic who actually looked older than me. But that is still much better than my friend who was called by a girl around his age “Ah oun” (little boy).
Little boy, what do you want?
Like that, his heart really sank. Because of that, he made it a point that if the same girl or any other girls call him “ah oun” again, he’ll try to make her his wife. In fact, the idea is so nice that I have to write it twice. He made it a point that if the same girl or any other girls call him “ah oun” again, he’ll try to make her his wife.
No it’s not like me is going to do the same when girls call me “poo“….but wait actually it’s not impossible.
So girls, when you call someone your age “poo”, remember this popular khmer saying:
In English it says:
At first “uncle”, soon “brother/senior”, 3 years later “honey”
Disagree?
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23 Wonderful Comments:
September 18th, 2006 at 10:18 am
haha! where had this happened? It’s too old now to call s.o whose age is similar to u or just abit older, POO! for me, and most of us here in PP, we are now up-2-date, Bong is popular and appreciated and just simple way to address the guy…! I dont like to call others who are just not so many yrs older than me Poo at all, cuz i know they might be upset! I believe that everyone wanna be young rite?
But wat? here: Pi dombong “poo”, yu yu “bong”, bei chnam konlong “ouv vear” hehe…. it’s not true at all! u dreamt it yaself te na! but great one!
September 20th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Ha ha - just because they call you Uncle doesn’t mean all hope is lost!
‘Uncle’ can be a relief to hear, if you are not attracted, and just want to be friends.
There are worse surprises. An older friend who’s been visiting Cambodia for decades is no longer ‘poo’, but ‘Lok Ta’. (”Guess I’ll have to get used to that, ” he conceded.)
September 21st, 2006 at 9:54 pm
DeeDee, the sentence is not mine. I just heard from other people. I don’t mind being called “poo”. Just that i find it funny but not as funny as being called “ah oun” or “lok ta” like jinja mentioned.
September 22nd, 2006 at 12:32 am
Aha…I got experient from this.
I’m just 26, I met many people and they called me “Poo..Poo”.
Also after I finish in each workshop at university, then some student called me “Teacher…Teacher”, but most of them called me “Poo…Poo” specially the girls and weman.
September 24th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
haha….TRA, too bad for you being called “poo poo” alot. But at least 26, at that age i would expect alot more “poo poo” just like u.
September 29th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
hey!
i think the idea of calling guy who is not so much older to call uncle, “Poo” is that women tend to be shy in speaking sweet word “Bang” to a stranger.
anyway, i think this translation is wrong lolz…
At first “uncle”, soon “brother/senior”, 3 years later “honey”
I don’t think non-cambodian understand the meaning by just reading it.
Btw, i’m not one of those shy woman hehehehe….
October 1st, 2006 at 10:44 pm
hi samphors, I don’t think Bang is a sweet word, unless the girls make it sweet. There’s actually another term girls address guys. That is “Kloun Eng”…which is also strange.
October 8th, 2006 at 1:35 am
well, yeah… it’s not sweet to you or to me, but who know what other thinks? i’m not sure though, it’s just an idea i got from one of the girl who call guy whose age is not to be called uncle “Pou” lolz…
well, “kloun eng” is not strange to me lolz…
October 12th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
it happen to me when i go to the station and they always got promotion something like cake or milk… i was on a small motobike, no where to put the cake, so i give them back the cake. i said i got no place to put… you know what she insisted to me? should keep it for your children? oh god do i look so old and even i look old what happen how do u feel when u r not yet even get married? same same story.
October 13th, 2006 at 11:42 pm
well, i thought u could fly…how come you take motobike…hehe same same story.
May 8th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Good then. I will tell you..
Po doesn’t mean you are old but to avoid the word Bong. It sounds rediculous to a single khmer girl to use, bong, to a man. It can be called only the man is her darling. Got it Mr. Vireak? And if that man has his sweet heart already, she might angry to us as well. Clear Mr. Vireak? We use it just we don’t want to get trouble to ourself as well as to you too. See? You got benefits from us. Jorng Jouy Te Pun nos!
July 29th, 2007 at 2:01 am
hm…So what guy address girls around their age? Neang? Ah srey???? Own? or Ming?
October 5th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
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October 8th, 2007 at 12:37 am
After read, I think that there should not be “ro” in the first word “pi” of the phrase. Thanks!
