Where does “” come from?

ní (Proto-Indo-Aryan) comes from Proto-Indo-Iranian ní, from Proto-Indo-European ni — down.

Ancestry of “”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Indo-Iraniandown, downwards; in, into
2Proto-Indo-Europeannidown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European niEvery word from Proto-Indo-Iranian