STEDT
Abstract Nouns and Verbs, Psychological Verbs, Verbs of Utterance  ›  Psychological verbs  ›  Verbs of Feeling  ›  ?  ›  Know, Believe
STEDT #2670

*syey-s

KNOW / UNDERSTAND
Proto-Tibeto-Burman

Reconstruction analysis

handlesyeyinitialsyrhymeeycoverS · W

Intermediate reconstructions

Kuki-Chin*thay-I, thayʔ-II ‘KNOW / ABLE / HEAR’PKC #395
Central Naga (Ao Group)*m-thət ‘KNOW’PCN #190
Tangkhulic*tʰej ‘KNOW / SEE’DRM#405
Northern Naga/Konyakian(a) *C̥-yəːy ‘KNOW’WTF-PNN: 509
Northern Naga/Konyakian(b) *C̥-syəːy ‘LEARN’WTF-PNN: 511
Lolo-Burmese*šey²/³ ‘KNOW’
Loloish*si² ‘KNOW’

Connections

HPTB (PLB)*šey²/³ ‘know’p. 477

Chinese comparandum

悉 OC *si̯ĕt GSR #1257e ‘all, completely, exhaust’; Coblin 86:101 ST *syis > OC *sjit ‘know’; Schuessler 2007:523-4 *sit ‘all, everything, exhaust; to know, comprehend’; B & S 2011: *sit ‘completely’; Mand. xī.

Note that Chinese 悉 *xī can mean not only “all, completely” but also “investigate thoroughly, know, comprehend”; these latter connotations are not shown in the gloss for GSR #1257e or in the entry for 悉 in B & S 2011. For further discussion of the semantics of 悉, see HPTB:465. [SPB]

Reflexes & cognates287 reflexes · 34 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)7

*Tibeto-Burmansyey (*C) ‘know’Coblin 86: 101

1.2Kuki-Chin1

*Chinthay-I, thayʔ-II ‘KNOW / ABLE / HEAR’VanBik 09 PKC: 395

1.2.1.1Northern Chin7

Paitethei ‘comprehend, able’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Sizanghtē hīmorpheme ‘can’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Thadothèy-INV ‘know’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Tiddimthei³ >x thei?³ v‘know; able to’Bhaskararao 96 CDB: 1881
Tiddimthei³ >x theiʔ³ ‘know’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Tiddimthei³/theiʔ³ ‘know, be able to’Bhaskararao 94 TCV
Tiddimˋthei/ˍtheiʔ v‘know / able to’Henderson 65 TidC

1.2.1.2Southern Plains Chin2

Cho (Mindat)thei ‘marking ability, cleverness’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Khumitháy ‘hear’VanBik 09 PKC: 395

1.2.2Central Chin6

Lai (Falam)thày-INV ‘know, be able’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Lai (Hakha)thǎy-I, thayʔ-II ‘comprehend, know, understand, hear’VanBik 09 PKC: 395
Lushai [Mizo]thèi v.,v.‘hear / know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 430
Lushai [Mizo]thèi-I, thèih-II ‘can, may, be able, to be capable, to have sufficient power or strength’VanBik 09 PKC: 395

1.2.3Maraic1

Lakher [Mara]thēi v‘hear, to know, to understand, can’VanBik 09 PKC: 395

1.3.1Central Naga (Ao Group)21

*Central Nagamprefix-thət ‘KNOW’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.190
*Aoaprefix-ʃi ‘KNOW’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.091
*Aomprefix-tət ‘KNOW’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.041
Ao (Chungli)a³prefix-si¹ v.‘know (have ability)’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.091
Ao (Chungli)memorpheme◦tet v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Chungli)mə³morphemetət³ v.‘know (a person/fact)’Bruhn 14 PCN: II.041
Ao (Chungli)mɯ́morpheme◦tɯ́t v.‘know’Temsunungsang 09 Ao: 10
Ao (Chungli)shi◦tetmorpheme v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Chungli)³mɯmorpheme³tɯt v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 711
Ao (Mongsen)mɯ́morpheme◦tɯ́t v.‘know’Temsunungsang 09 Ao: 12
Ao (Mongsen: Longchang)memorpheme◦tet v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Ao (Mongsen: Mangmetong)məmorpheme◦tət v.‘know [knew] (something, someone etc)’Coupe 07 Ao
Ao (Mongsen: Mangmetong)si v.‘know [knew] (how to do something)’Coupe 07 Ao
Ao (Mongsen: Mangmetong)si-laksuffix v.‘learn [learned] (probably <'know' + TERM)’Coupe 07 Ao
Lotha Nagan̩¹-tsi³- v.‘know’Bruhn 14 PCN: III.190
Sangtammümorpheme◦the v.‘know’Kumar 73 Sang
Sangtammümorpheme◦the v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Sangtam¹mɯmorpheme¹te v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 325
Sangtam¹mɯmorpheme¹the v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 988

1.3.3Zeme Group6

Puironthei v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Rongmei / Nruanghmeithày məimorpheme ‘know (inf)’Matisoff 94 Rong

1.3.4Tangkhulic12

*Tangkhulictʰej ‘know / see’Mortensen 12 Tk: 405
Huishukəmorpheme-tʰu ‘see, look; know’Mortensen 12 Tk: ToneMin.014
Kachaikəmorpheme-tʰi ‘see / know’Mortensen 12 Tk: ToneMin.014
Tangkhulthei v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Tangkhul¹kəprefix³thəi v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 325
Tangkhul¹kəprefix³thəi v.,v.‘know / understand’Weidert 87 TBTo: 67
Tusomkəmorpheme-tχa ‘see / know’Mortensen 12 Tk: ToneMin.017
Ukhrulkəprefix-cimorpheme-tʰej ‘show (cause to see)’Mortensen 12 Tk
Ukhrulkəmorpheme-tʰej ‘know; see’Mortensen 12 Tk
Ukhrulkəprefix-tʰɐj ‘see’Mortensen 12 Tk

1.7.1.1Bodo8

Bododiprefix◦thi ⪤ khiprefix◦thi ‘show’Benedict 72 STC: 182
Bodomiprefix◦thi ‘know’LaPolla 87: 98
Bodomiprefix◦thi ‘know’Benedict 72 STC: 182
Dimasamaprefix◦thi ⪤ miprefix◦thi ‘know’Benedict 72 STC: 182
Dimasamaprefix◦thi~miprefix◦thi ‘know’LaPolla 87: 98
Dimasamiprefix◦thi v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga
Kokborokši ‘know’Tripuri 88
Mechemiprefix◦tiʔ v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 54

1.7.1.2Garo4

Garomaʔprefix-si-amorpheme v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 54
Garomaprefix◦si ‘know’Matisoff 85 GSTC: 048
Garomaprefix◦si ‘know’LaPolla 87: 98
Garomaprefix◦si ‘know’Benedict 72 STC: 182

1.7.2Northern Naga/Konyakian2

*Northern NagaC̥-syəːy v.‘learn’French 83: 511
*Northern NagaC̥-yəːy v.‘know’French 83: 509

1.7.2.1Tangsa-Nocte6

Nocteamorpheme jet temorpheme ‘distinguished’French 83: 509
Noctehe(i) v.‘learn’French 83: 511
Noctehe(i) thomorpheme v.‘teach’French 83: 511
Nocteimorpheme jet v.‘know’French 83: 509
Nocteimorpheme◦jat ‘understand’Marrison 67 Naga
Nocteimorpheme◦jet v‘know’Marrison 67 Naga

1.7.3.1Jingpho1

2.1.2Bodic8

Tsangla (Motuo)se ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.7
Tsangla (Motuo)se⁵⁵ ‘know / can / be able to’Zhang Jichuan 86
Tsangla (Tilang)se ‘know / can / be able to’Zhang Jichuan 86

2.1.2.1Tibetan26

Tibetan (Alike)xi v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.05
Tibetan (Amdo:Bla-brang)ɕi ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.4
Tibetan (Amdo:Zeku)xhi ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.5
Tibetan (Batang)xhe⁵⁵ v.‘know (to write)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1392.03
Tibetan (Khams:Dege)ɕhe⁵⁵ ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.3
Tibetan (Written)śes-apmorpheme v.‘know’Weidert 87 TBTo: 711
Tibetan (Written)śes-pasuffix ‘know’LaPolla 87: 98
Tibetan (Written)śes-pasuffix ‘know, understand’Benedict 72 STC: 182
Tibetan (Written)ɕes ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.1

2.1.4Tamangish28

Gurungngohmorpheme seq◦bāsuffix v‘know (smn)’Hale 73 CSD: 10b1.55
Gurungseq-mmorpheme ‘know’Hale 73 CSD: 01.058
Gurung (Ghachok)seq-mmorpheme ‘know’Glover 72 GuVo: 1.59
Gurungseq◦bāsuffix v‘know (fact / person)’Hale 73 CSD: XIIIA2
Gurung (Ghachok)seq◦basuffix ‘know (fact / person)’Glover 72 GuVo: 13.A.2
Gurungthā:hāmorpheme seq◦bāsuffix v‘know’Hale 73 CSD: 10b2.19
Gurung (Ghachok)tʰaːhamorpheme seq◦basuffix ‘know’Glover 72 GuVo: 10.B.2.19
Gurung (Ghachok)ŋohmorpheme seq◦basuffix ‘know (smn)’Glover 72 GuVo: 10.B.1.55
Tamang (Sahu)'sye-pāsuffix v‘know’Hale 73 CSD: 10b2.19
Tamang (Sahu)'syeː-pasuffix v.‘know’Taylor 72 TmVo: 21.B.19
Tamang (Sahu)'syeː◦pasuffix v.‘know’Taylor 72 TmVo: 1.59
Tamang (Sahu)sehngmorpheme-pāsuffix 'sye:-pāsuffix v‘know (sthg)’Hale 73 CSD: XIIIA2
Tamang (Sahu)sehŋmorpheme-pasuffix 'syeː-pasuffix v.‘know (s.th.)’Taylor 72 TmVo: 22.D.2.
Tamang (Sahu)themorpheme 'sye:◦pasuffix ‘know’Hale 73 CSD: 01.059
Tamang (Taglung)ʃjeː-basuffix ‘know’Mazaudon 94 These: 959
Thakalingomorpheme sye-lamorpheme v‘know (smn)’Hale 73 CSD: 10b1.55
Thakali (Marpha)⁵⁵'³³ɕe-basuffix ‘know’Mazaudon 94 These: 959
Thakali (Syang)⁵⁵'⁵⁵ʃje-basuffix ‘know (how to do)’Mazaudon 94 These: 959
Thakali (Tukche)ŋomorpheme sje-lɔmorpheme ‘know (smn)’Hari 71a ThVo: 10.B.1.55

2.3.4Western Kiranti2

Hayuses ‘know’LaPolla 87: 98
Hayuses ‘know, understand’Benedict 72 STC: 182

3.1Tangut5

Tangut [Xixia]śji ‘know, knowledge’Li 97 Tangut: 3702
Tangut [Xixia]sjij ‘passion, know’Li 97 Tangut: 3469
Tangut [Xixia]tsjij ‘realize, know; Bodhisattva’Li 97 Tangut: 3574

3.2Qiangic51

Ersuhɑ³³morphemesɛ⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.18
Ersuhɑ³³morphemesɛ⁵⁵ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.18
Guiqiongma³¹morphemesə⁵⁵ v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.16
Guiqiongma³⁵morphemesə⁵⁵ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.16
Guiqiongma⁵⁵morphemesə⁵⁵ v.‘know’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1798.16
Guiqiongmɑ⁵⁵morphemesɿ⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.17
Guiqiongmɑ⁵⁵morphemesɿ⁵⁵ ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.17
Guiqiongtɕu⁵⁵morphemeʒə³³morphemeʒə³³morphemema⁵⁵morphemesə⁵⁵ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.16
Lyuzuhũ³³morphemesɿ⁵³ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.18
Lyuzuhũ³³morphemesɿ⁵³ v.‘understand’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1524.18
Lyuzuhũ³³morphemesɿ⁵³ v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.18
Lyuzuhũ³³morphemesɿ⁵³ v.‘know’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1798.18
Namuyisɿ̄³⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.19
Namuyisɿ³¹ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.46
Namuyisɿ³¹ v.‘look at and distinguish (characters)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1589.46
Namuyitɕhi³¹morphemesɿ³¹sɿ³¹ v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.46
Namuyitɕhi³¹morphemesɿ³¹sɿ³¹ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.46
Pumi (Lanping)mã¹³morphemesə¹³ v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.09
Pumi (Lanping)ma¹³morphemesə⁵⁵ v.‘know’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1798.09
Pumi (Lanping)mãmorpheme◦sə¹³ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.09
Pumi (Lanping)tʂa¹³morpheme ʂə¹³ v.‘understand’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1524.09
Pumi (Lanping)tʂɑ¹³morphemeʂə⁵⁵ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.09
Pumi (Qinghua)ma¹³morphemesə⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.11
Pumi (Qinghua)tʂɑ¹³morphemeʂə⁵⁵ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.11
Pumi (Taoba)mã³⁵morphemesẽ⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.10
Qiang (Longxi)sɨ̀ ‘understand, know’Evans 99 Qiang: 1832
Qiang (Longxi)sɨ̀ (à)morpheme ‘know’Evans 99 Qiang: 2588
Qiang (Longxi)sɨ́ sɨ́ ‘recognize (person)’Evans 99 Qiang: 2279
Qiang (Longxi)sɨ̀ ~ sɨ́ sɨ́ ‘recognize (word)’Evans 99 Qiang: 2278
Qiang (Longxi)sɨ̀ ~ sɨ́ sɨ́ ‘know well’Evans 99 Qiang: 2343
Qiang (Mawo)sə v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.08
Qiang (Mianchi)sɨ̀ (ʐá)morpheme ‘understand, know’Evans 99 Qiang: 1832
Qiang (Mianchi)sɨ̀ uàmorpheme ‘understand, comprehend’Evans 99 Qiang: 2137
Qiang (Mianchi)sɨ̀ uámorpheme ɕàmorpheme ‘understand, know’Evans 99 Qiang: 1832
Qiang (Mianchi)sɨ̀ ʐámorpheme ‘know’Evans 99 Qiang: 2588
Qiang (Mianchi)χàmorpheme sɨ̀ ‘recognize (person)’Evans 99 Qiang: 2279
Qiang (Mianchi)χàmorpheme sɨ̀ ‘recognize’Evans 99 Qiang: 2343
Qiang (Taoping)sɿ⁵⁵ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.9
Xumisɛ⁵³ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.17
Xumisɛ⁵³ v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.17
Xumisɛ⁵³ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.17
Xumisɛ⁵³ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.20
Xumisɛ⁵³ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.20
Xumisɛ⁵⁵wu³³morphemedʑõ³³morpheme v.‘understand’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1524.17
Zhaba (Daofu County)tʌ¹³morphemesɿ⁵⁵ v.‘understand’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1524.14

3.3rGyalrongic1

3.3.1rGyalrong2

rGyalrongkaprefix ʃə ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.12

6.1Lolo-Burmese1

6.1.1Burmish20

Achang (Lianghe)ɕɛ³¹ ‘know’Dai 85 AcJZ
Achang (Luxi)ɕɛ⁵¹ ‘know’Dai 85 AcJZ
Bola (Luxi)sɛ³⁵ v.‘know (to write)’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1392.32
Burmese (Written)sì ‘know, understand’Benedict 72 STC: 182
Burmese (Written)si' ‘know, understand’Matisoff 85 GSTC: 048
Langsu (Luxi)sɛ⁵⁵ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.31
Leqi (Luxi)sɛ̱⁵³ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.33
Maru [Langsu]pa³¹morpheme; sɛ⁵⁵ ‘know (a language) / can / be abl’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 732.43
Atsi [Zaiwa]se⁵⁵ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.30

6.1.2Loloish3

PNLsi² ‘know’Chen 86 CS: 166.

6.1.2.1Northern Loloish13

Gazhuosɿ⁵⁵ja³³morpheme v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.47
Lalosjí ‘know / grasp’Björverud 94
Nasusɚ̱⁵⁵ ‘know’Chen 86 CS: 166.
Neisuse¹³ ‘know’Chen 86 CS: 166.
Nosusi̱⁵⁵ ‘know’Chen 86 CS: 166.
Yi (Liangshan)sɿ²¹ ‘know (be aware); know (recognize); know (understand); recognize (know); understand’Ma 08 Yi: index
Yi (Liangshan)sɿ³⁴ ‘know (recognize); meet’Ma 08 Yi: index
Yi (Liangshan)ʣi³³morphemesɿ³⁴ ‘familiar with; know well’Ma 08 Yi: index
Yi (Nanhua)sɛ̱⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.24
Yi (Xide)dzi³³morpheme sɿ³⁴ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.35

6.1.2.2Central Loloish14

Jinuo (Buyuan)si⁴⁴ v‘know’Gai 86
Jinuo (Youle)sɤ⁴⁴jɔ³³morpheme ‘know’Gai 86
Lahu (Lancang)ɕi¹¹ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.43
Lisu (Central)srghe¹ v.‘know’Fraser 22
Lisu (Northern)sɤ⁵⁵ V‘know; understand; be familiar with’Bradley 94 Lisu
Lisu (Yongsheng)sɯɹ³³ v‘know’Xu 86 Lisu
Lisusɯ⁵⁵ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.40
Lisusɯ⁵⁵ v.‘know’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1798.40
Lisusɯ⁵⁵ ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.27

6.1.2.3Southern Loloish5

Hani (Caiyuan)sɿ̄³¹la̱³¹morpheme ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.30
Hani (Gelanghe)si³¹ȵa³³morpheme ‘know’Li Yongsui 86 Hani
Hani (Mojiang)ʃv̩³⁵ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.42
Mpisɯ¹ ‘know’Srinuan 76
Silasɯ21 v.‘know’Kato 08 Lao: 212

6.1.2.4Southeastern Loloish2

Pholasi³³ ‘know; understand’Pelkey 11 Phula: 786
Hlepho Phowasɿ⁵⁵ ‘know; understand’Pelkey 11 Phula: 786

6.2Naxi10

Naxi (Lijiang)sɯ³³ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.28
Naxi (Lijiang)sɯ³³; no³³morpheme ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.28
Naxisɿ³³ v.‘understand / grasp’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1282.45
Naxi (Yongning)sɿ³³ ‘understand’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 723.29
Naxisɿ³³sɿ²¹morpheme v.‘recognize’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1590.45
Naxisɿ³³sɿ³³ v.‘familiar with, be / know sthg. o’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 1636.45
Naxi (Yongning)sɿ³³ze³¹morpheme ‘know’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 722.29

9.0.3Modern Chinese2

Chinese (Mandarin)jy◦dauhmorpheme ‘know’Sun J 85 ChGl: 668

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #2670, *syey-s ‘KNOW / UNDERSTAND’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/2670
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: cf. STC#182, HPTB
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-2670,
  title  = {{*syey-s 'KNOW / UNDERSTAND'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #2670},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/2670}
}