Where does “An Nam” come from?

An Nam (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese năm, from Proto-Chamic *nam, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ənəm, from Proto-Austronesian ənəm, from Proto-Austroasiatic *ənəm.

An Nam (Vietnamese): Annam, a former colonial province of China, now part of present-day Northern Vietnam

Definitions

  1. Annam, a former colonial province of China, now part of present-day Northern Vietnam

Ancestry of “An Nam”, step by step

An Nam traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese năm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesenămfive; a year
2Proto-Chamic*namsix
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianənəmsix
4Proto-Austronesianənəmsix
5Proto-Austroasiatic*ənəm

via Vietnamese ăn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnameseănto eat; Synonym of uống; to dine; to feast, to...
2Chinese

via Chinese 安南

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Chinese安南Annam

Words derived from “An Nam

Every word from Proto-Austroasiatic *ənəmEvery word from Proto-Austronesian ənəmEvery word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ənəm