Where does “cai nghiện” come from?

cai nghiện (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese cái, from Proto-Vietic -keːʔ — woman, female.

cai nghiện (Vietnamese): to become detoxified from drug or alcohol

Definitions

  1. to become detoxified from drug or alcohol

Ancestry of “cai nghiện”, step by step

cai nghiện traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese cái

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesecáia thing; a whatsit; the solid bits of a broth;...
2Proto-Vietic-keːʔwoman, female

via Vietnamese nghiện

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesenghiệnto be addicted to
Every word from Proto-Vietic -keːʔEvery word from Vietnamese cái