Where does “ngọc trai” come from?

ngọc trai (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese trái, from Proto-Vietic p-laːs, from Proto-Mon-Khmer laas — to spread; to extend.

ngọc trai (Vietnamese): pearl

Definitions

  1. pearl

Ancestry of “ngọc trai”, step by step

ngọc trai traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese trái

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesetráileft; reverse; morally wrong, unreasonable,...
2Proto-Vieticp-laːsfathom
3Proto-Mon-Khmerlaasto spread; to extend

via Vietnamese ngọc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesengọca gem; a precious stone
Every word from Proto-Mon-Khmer laas →Every word from Proto-Vietic p-laːs →Every word from Vietnamese trái →