Where does “छाँह” come from?
छाँह (Hindi) comes from Prakrit 𑀙𑀸𑀳𑀸, from Prakrit 𑀙𑀸𑀆, from Ashokan Prakrit 𑀙𑀸𑀬𑀸, from Sanskrit छाया, from Proto-Indo-Iranian śćaHyáH, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₃ih₂, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₃- — darkness, shadow.
Ancestry of “छाँह”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Prakrit | 𑀙𑀸𑀳𑀸 | — |
| 2 | Prakrit | 𑀙𑀸𑀆 | — |
| 3 | Ashokan Prakrit | 𑀙𑀸𑀬𑀸 | — |
| 4 | Sanskrit | छाया | shadow; shade; shady place; reflection; shading... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | śćaHyáH | shade, shadow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱeh₃ih₂ | shadow, shade |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱeh₃- | darkness, shadow |