Bong vs Oun
- Wayward Woods
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Bong vs Oun
Ok, so I getting the technical difference between them. But there are some complicated times:
I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious. But, calling a 22 year old woman “bong” seems odd.
And what about relationships? In theory, what if the girl is older?
What about lower level staff in general?
I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious. But, calling a 22 year old woman “bong” seems odd.
And what about relationships? In theory, what if the girl is older?
What about lower level staff in general?
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It depends much on your own age and social status in relation to the person you're addressing, up to a certain threshold where everyone is bong to each other. Generally my bongs and poos are not the same as yours.
Please post revealing photos of your young secretary so that I can judge her easier.
Please post revealing photos of your young secretary so that I can judge her easier.
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- Lucky Lucan
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I think you are supposed to say B'oun.Wayward Woods wrote: I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious.
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Just call the staff by her name.Lucky Lucan wrote:I think you are supposed to say B'oun.Wayward Woods wrote: I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious.
You can not just use 'oun' because it is flirtatious (and it's an abbreviation). The correct form is 'P'oun Srey'. You can also use her name, or her nickname, or if you know the name of her child it's common to call her 'Ma <fill in name child>'. Same applies to lower level staff.Wayward Woods wrote:Ok, so I getting the technical difference between them. But there are some complicated times:
I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious. But, calling a 22 year old woman “bong” seems odd.
And what about relationships? In theory, what if the girl is older?
What about lower level staff in general?
And don't break your head about a Khmer girl ending up with a younger guy. Is like looking for a white tiger.
- Wayward Woods
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I bet it’s happened... some of these women look a lot younger than their ages... so, what would they use with one another?Kachang wrote:
And don't break your head about a Khmer girl ending up with a younger guy. Is like looking for a white tiger.
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I know one such couple. The Bong and P’Oun are just reversed.Wayward Woods wrote:I bet it’s happened... some of these women look a lot younger than their ages... so, what would they use with one another?Kachang wrote:
And don't break your head about a Khmer girl ending up with a younger guy. Is like looking for a white tiger.
It’s normal for them, but every time I hear it I think it sounds weird.
Once dated a woman that was a year older.
She called me bong and I called her oun. Unless we had an argument. Than I called her bong. Just to annoy her [emoji851][emoji56]
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She called me bong and I called her oun. Unless we had an argument. Than I called her bong. Just to annoy her [emoji851][emoji56]
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I know a couple here that are only a few months apart in age. They both refer to each other as Bong, which is a little odd when you first hear them talking to each other, but only for a minute or two.
"We, the sons of John Company, have arrived"
I had a fling with an older woman, about 5 years older I think. We’d call each other oun, each trying to assert the bong titles for ourselves. Only once in a while would I gain bong status, typically after I did her a big favor or paid for an expensive meal (or in bed, of course).
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The use Bong/Oun in speaking (បង/អូន) is related to love affairs between a couple or in flirting. Using those terms within a working environment, would mean flirting with your colleagues, so it would give the impression that you are interesting in that young woman beyond that she is your secretary.Wayward Woods wrote:Ok, so I getting the technical difference between them. But there are some complicated times:
I once called my young secretary at the office “oun” - a guy told me not to do that, it was too flirtatious. But, calling a 22 year old woman “bong” seems odd.
And what about relationships? In theory, what if the girl is older?
What about lower level staff in general?
If you say Oun to a young woman, you can translate it as "Honey" or "Love", etc. As for men, saying Bong to a man is less compromising even if it comes from a woman.
Khmer Language is very clear: If you work with Cambodian people, you can call them by their own name if they are younger than you or by their position such as Secretary (លេខា), boss (ថៅកែ) or by their age condition: Miss (កញ្ញា).
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