Where does “gấu nước” come from?

gấu nước (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese nước, from Proto-Vietic ɗaːk, from Proto-Mon-Khmer ɗaak — water; liquid; The sense of "river, stream" that...

gấu nước (Vietnamese): water bear

Definitions

  1. water bear

Ancestry of “gấu nước”, step by step

gấu nước traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese nước

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesenướcwater; liquid; fluid; the liquid part of a broth
2Proto-Vieticɗaːkwater, liquid
3Proto-Mon-Khmerɗaakwater; liquid; The sense of "river, stream" that...

via Vietnamese gấu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesegấua bear; date; romantic partner
2Proto-Vieticc-guːʔbear
3Proto-Mon-Khmerɟkawbear

via English water bear

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwater bearA member of the animal phylum Tardigrada
2GermanWasserbärA tardigrade, water bear; A batardeau
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer ɗaakEvery word from Proto-Vietic ɗaːkEvery word from Vietnamese nước