Where does “жан” come from?
жан (Kyrgyz) 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 (Kyrgyz): side
Definitions
- side
Ancestry of “жан”, step by step
жан traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Persian جان
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Persian | جان | soul; being; life |
| 2 | Middle Persian | yʾn' | — |
| 3 | Proto-Iranian | *wyaHnáH | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | wyaHnás | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁‑ | to breathe |
via Proto-Turkic yān
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Turkic | yān | side |