Kham
/kɑːm/noun
Kham is a historical-cultural region of eastern Tibet, now divided mainly among China’s Sichuan, Qinghai, Tibet, and Yunnan areas.
Did you know?Kham was one of Tibet’s three traditional regions, alongside Ü-Tsang and Amdo, and its inhabitants are known as Khampas.
Etymological Timeline
Old Tibetan period, c. 7th–9th century
Old Tibetan
ཁམས (khams)
“A realm, region, or area; the written form underlying the modern name.”
Classical Tibetan, c. 11th–17th century
Tibetan
ཁམས (khams)
“A region or domain, including the eastern Tibetan cultural region.”
17th–18th century
Tibetan
Khams
“The established name for eastern Tibet in Tibetan geographical and political usage.”
19th century
English
Kham
“An English rendering of the Tibetan regional name.”
Modern English
English
Kham
“A historical-cultural region of eastern Tibet, now largely within the People’s Republic of China.”