Where does “gong” come from?
Gong comes from Malay gong, borrowed into Old English as gong, which derived from Old English gang, itself from Proto-Germanic gangaz and ultimately Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ-.
gong (English): A percussion instrument consisting of a metal...
Definitions
- A percussion instrument consisting of a metal...
Ancestry of “gong”, step by step
gong traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English gong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | gong | An outhouse; a building used as a lavatory |
| 2 | Old English | gong | — |
| 3 | Old English | gangan | to go, walk; to turn out |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *gangan | to go, walk, step |
via Malay gong
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | gong | a large "gong"; sound of a gong |
via Mandarin 功
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandarin | 功 | merit; achievement; merit |