Names of Cambodia
{{Short description|Etymology of the names of Cambodia}}
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The name of Cambodia in Khmer is {{lang|km|កម្ពុជា}} (: {{Transliteration|km|Kâmpŭchéa}}, ALA-: {{Transliteration|km|Kambujā}} {{IPA|km|kampuciə|}}), officially {{lang|km|ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា}} (UNGEGN: {{Transliteration|km|Preăhréachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchéa}}, ALA-LC: {{Transliteration|km|Braḥrājāṇācakr Kambujā}} {{IPA|km|preahriəciənaːcak kampuciə|}}; {{Literal translation|Kingdom of Cambodia}}). This term derives from Sanskrit {{lang|sa|कम्बोजदेश}} (IAST: {{Transliteration|sa|Kambojadeśa}}), which means the "land of Kamboja".
History
The same name (i.e. Kamboj/Kambuja) is also found in Burmese and Thai chronicles referring to regions within those kingdoms. An origin-myth recorded in the Baksei Chamkrong inscription, dated AD 947, derives Kambuja from Svayambhuva Kamboj, a legendary Indian sage under whose gotra later, the merchant Kaundinya I reached the Indochinese peninsula and married a Nāga princess named Soma, thus uniting the Indian and local Southeast Asian Funanese cultures. In this story Kambuja derives from Kambu+ja, and means "descendants of Kambu."George Coedes, Inscriptions du Cambodge, II, pp. 10, 155
Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchéa means "Kingdom of Cambodia". Etymologically, its components are: preăh ("sacred"); réach- ("king, royal, realm", from Sanskrit); -éana- (from Pāli {{IAST|āṇā}}, "authority, command, power"); -châkr (from Sanskrit chakra, meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule).
The name used on formal occasions, such as political speeches and news programs, is {{lang|km|ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា}} {{lang|km-Latn|Prâtés Kâmpŭchéa}} {{IPA|km|prɑteːh kampuciə|}}, literally "the Country of Cambodia". The colloquial name most used by Cambodians is {{lang|km|ស្រុកខ្មែរ}} {{Transliteration|km|Srŏk Khmêr}} {{IPA|km|srok kʰmae|}}, literally "Land of the Khmers" or "Khmer’s Land". srŏk is a Mon-Khmer word roughly equal to the Sanskritic Prâtés, but less formal.
Official names of Cambodia since independence
| class="wikitable" style="float:center; clear:right;"
! English !! Khmer !! French !! Date !! Notes | ||||
| Kingdom of Cambodia | {{lang|km|ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា}} | {{lang|fr|Royaume du Cambodge}} | 1953–1970 | Under a monarchy. |
| Khmer Republic | {{lang|km|សាធារណរដ្ឋខ្មែរ}} | {{lang|fr|République khmère}} | 1970–1975 | Under a military-led government. |
| Kingdom of Kampuchea | {{lang|km|ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា}} | {{lang|fr|Royuame du Kampuchéa}} | 1975-1976 | Monarchy under a coalition between the Khmer Rouge regime and a monarchistgovernment in exile. |
| Democratic Kampuchea | {{lang|km|កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ}} | {{lang|fr|Kampuchéa démocratique}} | 1976–1979 | Under the Khmer Rouge regime. |
| People's Republic of Kampuchea | {{lang|km|សាធារណរដ្ឋប្រជាមានិតកម្ពុជា}} | {{lang|fr|République populaire du Kampuchéa}} | 1979–1989 | Under the rule of the Vietnamese-sponsored government. |
| State of Cambodia | {{lang|km|រដ្ឋកម្ពុជា}} | {{lang|fr|État du Cambodge}} | 1989–1993 | Under the United Nations Transitional Authority. |
| Cambodia | {{lang|km|ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា}} | {{lang|fr|Royaume du Cambodge}} | 1993–present | Under a restored monarchy. |
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Asia topic|Name of}}
{{Countries and languages lists}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Names Of Cambodia}}