Where does “gấu trắng” come from?

gấu trắng (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese trắng, from Proto-Vietic k-laŋʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer klaŋʔ.

gấu trắng (Vietnamese): white bear, polar bear

Definitions

  1. white bear, polar bear

Ancestry of “gấu trắng”, step by step

gấu trắng traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese trắng

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesetrắngwhite; pale
2Proto-Vietick-laŋʔwhite
3Proto-Mon-Khmerklaŋʔ—

via Vietnamese gấu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesegấua bear; date; romantic partner
2Proto-Vieticc-guːʔbear
3Proto-Mon-Khmerɟkawbear
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer klaŋʔ →Every word from Proto-Vietic k-laŋʔ →Every word from Vietnamese trắng →