Where does “水の泡” come from?

水の泡 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 水, from Old Japanese 水, from Proto-Japonic *mentu — water.

水の泡 (Japanese): coming to nothing

Definitions

  1. coming to nothing

Ancestry of “水の泡”, step by step

水の泡 traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 水

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese水water; drinking water; a fluid, liquid
2Old Japanese水water
3Proto-Japonic*mentuwater

via Japanese の

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japaneseのgenitive case marker; nominative case marker in a...
2Old Japaneseのplain, field
3Middle Chinese能talent, ability

via Japanese 泡

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese泡bubble; foam, head on carbonated beverages such...
2Old Japaneseあわ—
3Proto-Japonic*awabubble
Every word from Proto-Japonic *mentu →Every word from Old Japanese 水 →Every word from Japanese 水 →
水の泡 — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer