som

Som is the basic unit of money in Kyrgyzstan, much like the dollar in the U.S. If you're traveling there, you'll use it to pay for everything from a cup of tea to a handwoven carpet.

The word comes from an old Turkic root meaning "pure," once linked to pure gold. In English, it is mainly used for the Kyrgyz currency. A related form is also used for the money of Uzbekistan, often written as so'm or sum in English. The Kyrgyz som is divided into 100 tyiyn, much like a dollar is divided into 100 cents.

Som is the official currency of Kyrgyzstan. It works like any national currency: it is what people use to buy goods, pay for services, and handle daily business there. For example: "The handmade felt rug cost 5,000 som," or "She exchanged her dollars for som at the airport."

The word has an interesting origin. It comes from a Turkic root meaning "pure," especially pure gold. That points back to an older idea of money being tied to precious metals. The Kyrgyz word сом and the Uzbek word сўм are related and come from the same historical source.

The Kyrgyz som became the country's official currency in the 1990s, after independence from the Soviet Union, replacing the ruble. In Kyrgyzstan, one som equals 100 tyiyn. A related currency name is used in Uzbekistan too, but in English it is often spelled so'm or sum rather than plain som.

You'll typically see this word in financial writing, travel guides, or news about Central Asia. "The Kyrgyz som has moved against the dollar," or "Prices are listed in som."

It can also appear in other contexts, but those are uncommon and usually easy to tell apart from the currency meaning.

So whether you're reading about Central Asian economics, planning a trip to Bishkek, or simply learning world currencies, som is a useful word to know for the money of Kyrgyzstan, and a close relative of the name used for the currency of Uzbekistan.