| This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “The xôi element might be 菜 (MC tshojH), as also seen in Cantonese 菠菜 (bo1 coi3) > (cải) bó xôi (“spinach”). The first element is weird though, since mâm is a totally normal word shape in Vietnamese, but /mVm/ syllables aren't really a thing across Sinitic languages.” |