Where does “cứng nhắc” come from?

cứng nhắc (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese cùng, from Middle Chinese 宮.

cứng nhắc (Vietnamese): inflexible; rigid; stiff

Definitions

  1. inflexible; rigid; stiff

Ancestry of “cứng nhắc”, step by step

cứng nhắc traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese cùng

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesecùngthe end, limit; with; and
2Middle Chinese宮—

via Vietnamese nhắc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesenhắcto prompt; to remind
Every word from Middle Chinese 宮 →