Where does “lằn ranh” come from?

lằn ranh (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese lặn, from English lane, from Middle English lane, from Old English lane, from Proto-West Germanic lanu, from Proto-Germanic lanō — lane, passageway.

lằn ranh (Vietnamese): border; dividing line

Definitions

  1. border; dividing line

Ancestry of “lằn ranh”, step by step

lằn ranh traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese lặn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnameselặnto dive; to hide; to set
2EnglishlaneA road, street, or similar thoroughfare; A narrow...
3Middle Englishlanelane, alley narrow passage between buildings
4Old Englishlanelane, narrow path
5Proto-West Germaniclanulane, passageway
6Proto-Germaniclanōlane, passageway

via Vietnamese rành

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnameserànhto know clearly; to be acquainted (with)

Words derived from “lằn ranh

Every word from Proto-Germanic lanōEvery word from Proto-West Germanic lanuEvery word from Old English lane