Where does “阿吽” come from?

阿吽 (Chinese) comes from Sanskrit अह, from Proto-Indo-European h₁é, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰe — Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact.

阿吽 (Chinese): A-un

Definitions

  1. A-un

Ancestry of “阿吽”, step by step

阿吽 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Sanskrit अह

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Sanskritअहday
2Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁éand, then
3Proto-Indo-EuropeanǵʰePostpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact

via Chinese 阿訇

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese阿訇imam; mullah; akhund
2PersianآخوندAn akhund, specifically a cleric of the Usuli...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰe →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁é →Every word from Sanskrit अह →