Where does “жан” come from?

жан (Kazakh) comes from Persian جان, from Middle Persian yʾn', from Proto-Iranian *wyaHnáH, from Proto-Indo-Iranian wyaHnás, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑ — to breathe.

жан (Kazakh): side, flank

Definitions

  1. side, flank

Ancestry of “жан”, step by step

жан traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Persian جان

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Persianجانsoul; being; life
2Middle Persianyʾn'
3Proto-Iranian*wyaHnáH
4Proto-Indo-IranianwyaHnás
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁‑to breathe

via Classical Persian جَان

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Classical Persianجَان
2Arabicسلطانpower, strength; rule, dominion; authority
3Aramaicשׁוּלְטָנָא

via Proto-Turkic yān

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Turkicyānside

Words derived from “жан

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁‑