ငယ်

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Burmese

ငယ်

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ŋɛ̀/
  • Romanization: MLCTS: ngai • ALA-LC: ṅayʻ • BGN/PCGN: ngè • Okell: nge

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Burmese ငဲ, from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-ŋa-j (small; inferior; offspring). Compare Old Chinese (OC *ŋeː, *ŋje, “child; diminutive suffix”) (STEDT).

MED appears to consider the "mouse deer" sense etymologically equivalent to the "small" sense, due to the chevrotain's small size.

Adjective

ငယ် (ngai)

  1. small; little
  2. young

Noun

ငယ် (ngai)

  1. chevrotain, mouse deer

Derived terms

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Metaphorical usage of the "small" sense in Etymology 1?”)

Particle

ငယ် (ngai)

  1. (archaic) emphatic particle often used as an euphonic device in classical songs
Derived terms

Further reading