Traditional Greetings between Cambodians

Meeting & Greeting

. Greetings between Cambodians are dependent on the relationship/hierarchy/age between the people.

. The traditional greeting is a bow combined with a bringing of the hands together at chest level (similar to bringing hands together for prayer).

. If one intends to show greater respect the bow is lower and the hands brought higher.

. With foreigners Cambodians have adopted the western practice of shaking hands. Women may still use the traditional Cambodian greeting.

. The simple rule is to respond with the greeting you are given.

. In Cambodia people are addressed with the honorific title "Lok" for a man and "Lok Srey" for a woman followed with the first name or both the first and surname.