Where does “hay chữ” come from?

hay chữ (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese chữ, from Proto-Vietic cuːʔ, from Proto-Mon-Khmer cuuʔ — grandchild.

hay chữ (Vietnamese): scholastically knowledgeable; well-versed in literature

Definitions

  1. scholastically knowledgeable; well-versed in literature

Ancestry of “hay chữ”, step by step

hay chữ traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese chữ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesechữalphabet, writing system, script; letter,...
2Proto-Vieticcuːʔgrandchild; father's younger brother
3Proto-Mon-Khmercuuʔgrandchild

via Vietnamese hay

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesehayto know; to get to know; to learn; to have a...
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer cuuʔEvery word from Proto-Vietic cuːʔEvery word from Vietnamese chữ
hay chữ — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer