Phnom Penh

American  

[nom pen, puh-nawm pen] / ˈnɒm ˈpɛn, pəˈnɔm ˈpɛn /

Or Pnom Penh,

noun

1. a city in and the capital of Cambodia, in the S part.

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Phnom Penh British  

/ ˌpnɒm ˈpɛn /

noun

1. Official transliteration: Phnum Péhn.  the capital of Cambodia, a port in the south at the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers: capital of the country since 1865; university (1960). Pop: 1 174 000 (2005 est)

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Example Sentences

Volker Turk, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights, said he we "deeply concerned by the upholding of the conviction" by the Phnom Penh appeals court on Thursday.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

The freed workers flooded city streets in Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Before allegations against him were brought forward, to Phnom Penh he was "just a businessman, contributing to the economy".

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

Lines that stretched for more than a block also formed outside the Chinese Embassy in Phnom Penh earlier in January.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026

I return to Phnom Penh on the back of Meng’s bike, my heart beating wildly as I absorb the sights and sounds of the city.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung