Where does “nghèo hèn” come from?

nghèo hèn (Vietnamese) comes from Vietnamese hẹn, from Proto-Tai ʰɲelᴬ — civet cat; civet.

nghèo hèn (Vietnamese): poor and of a low position in society; humble; impoverished

Definitions

  1. poor and of a low position in society; humble; impoverished

Ancestry of “nghèo hèn”, step by step

nghèo hèn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Vietnamese hẹn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesehẹnto make an appointment; to arrange or promise;...
2Proto-Taiʰɲelᴬcivet cat; civet

via Vietnamese nghèo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Vietnamesenghèopoor
Every word from Proto-Tai ʰɲelᴬ →Every word from Vietnamese hẹn →