Where does “彌勒” come from?
彌勒 (Chinese) comes from Sanskrit मैत्रेय, from Sanskrit मैत्री, from Sanskrit मैत्र, from Sanskrit मित्र, from Proto-Indo-Aryan mitrás, from Proto-Indo-Iranian mitrás, from Proto-Indo-European mēy- — soft, tender, dear.
Ancestry of “彌勒”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Sanskrit | मैत्रेय | friendly, benevolent; patronymic of कौषारव;... |
| 2 | Sanskrit | मैत्री | friendship |
| 3 | Sanskrit | मैत्र | friendly, benevolent; friendship |
| 4 | Sanskrit | मित्र | a friend, companion, associate; the sun;... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | mitrás | friend |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | mitrás | covenant; treaty; agreement |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy- | soft, tender, dear |