Where does “lười biếng” come from?

lười biếng (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese lười, from Proto-Mon-Khmer laaj — to dissolve; to melt; to become loose; idle.

lười biếng (Vietnamese): lazy; slack; idle

Definitions

  1. lazy; slack; idle

Ancestry of “lười biếng”, step by step

lười biếng traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese lười

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnameselườilazy; slothful; a sloth
2Proto-Mon-Khmerlaajto dissolve; to melt; to become loose; idle

via Vietnamese biếng

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesebiếngdisinclined; losing interest in
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer laaj →Every word from Vietnamese lười →
lười biếng — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer