STEDT
The Body  ›  Limbs, Joints, and Body Measures  ›  Hand, Arm, Wing
STEDT #712

*k(r)u-t

HAND / FIST / ARM
Proto-Tibeto-Burman · exemplary

Reconstruction analysis

handlek/g-rinitial(r)rhymeutcoverL · T

Intermediate reconstructions

Kuki-Chin*kut ⪤ *khut ‘HAND’PKC #287
Kuki-Chin*kut-tum ⪤ *khut-tum ‘FIST’
Tangkhulic*kʰut ‘HAND / ARM’DRM#

Connections

HPTB*k(r)u-t ⪤ *g(r)u-t ‘hand’p. 365

Notes

This widely distributed root appears in Kuki-Chin, North Assam, Himalayish, and perhaps Qiangic.

Several forms (Sulung geȶ³³, Kanauri khyuč, Sunwar guy, and Pattani guʐ) show palatalization of the final consonant.

A few other languages have forms with medial glides: Chepang krut, Kanauri khyuč, and Bunan khyutsi. Mru rut shows loss of the initial velar, so that the medial became the initial consonant. Several Himalayan languages have similar looking forms which are borrowings from Nepali pākhurā ‘arm’: Gurung pā:khruq, Thakali yā pākhura, and Sunwar pā:khrā:.

The second syllable of Magar mi-huʈ ‘hand’ might also descend from this etymon, but cf. Nepali hāt.

Many other forms show loss of the final t in compound-initial position, e.g. Lakher (Mara) ku paro; Lushai (Mizo) ku-tang; Meithei khudôn, etc.; Bunan khuṭub; and WT khu-tshur.

The Mongsen Ao form tə-khə́t or tükhet does not descend from this etymon, but rather from a totally distinct root #2301 PTB *kat ONE (cf. STC p.94 and JAM 1995:3.12). Daniel Bruhn, based on a suggestion from T. Temsunungsang, points out a similar semantic development in Chungli Ao: kà ‘one’, tə́-kà ‘hand’ (cf. the next etymon). There is a fascinating parallel in Written Burmese: hnac ‘two’, khu' hnac ‘seven’, where the first syllable (under the creaky tone) seems likely to descend from this etymon, with the meaning ‘five’, pointing to a former quinary system of counting, as in modern Khmer. The semantic connection between the hand and the numeral five is also found in Austronesian (cf. Indonesian lima ‘five, hand’).

Reflexes & cognates251 reflexes · 25 subgroups

0.1Tibeto-Burman (previously published reconstructions)1

*Tibeto-Burmank(r)u-t ⪤ g(r)u-t ‘hand’Matisoff 03 HPTB: 597

1.1“North Assam”6

Sulung [Puroik]geȶ³³ ‘hand’Sun H 93 SulQ
Sulung [Puroik]geȶ³³jik³³morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 93 SulQ
Sulung [Puroik]geȶ³³jik³³morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.52
Sulung [Puroik]geȶ³³kə³³morphemeȵiŋ³³morpheme ‘elbow’Sun H 93 SulQ
Sulung [Puroik]geȶ³³kə³³morphemeȵiŋ³³morpheme ‘elbow’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 254.52

1.1.1.1Western Tani2

Miri, Hillkod' ‘hand, earth’Simon 76 Miri
Miri, Hillkod◦ɯ ‘hand, earth’Simon 76 Miri

1.2Kuki-Chin8

*Chinkut ⪤ khut ‘HAND’VanBik 09 PKC: 287
Analkhuʔ ‘hand’Ono 65
Chinbokkut ‘hand’Ono 65
Ngawnkhut ‘hand’Ono 65
Thanphum[kᴜt⁵] ‘arm’Luce 85: N.35
Thanphumkut⁵ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Thanphumkᴜt¹tə̆ki³morpheme ‘elbow’Luce 85: O.10

1.2.1.1Northern Chin20

Kuki-Chinkhut◦chalmorpheme ‘index finger’Haokip 98: 7.1.1
Kuki-Chinkhut◦jungmorpheme ‘finger’Haokip 98: 7.1
Kuki-Chinkhut◦tum ‘fist’also contains *tu(p/m)morphemeHaokip 98: 6.1.7.3
Thadokhùt ‘hand’VanBik 09 PKC: 287
Thadoxút ‘hand’Thirumalai 72: 63
Thadoxút◦cʌ̀lmorpheme ‘finger (index)’Thirumalai 72: 32
Thadoxút◦zùŋmorpheme ‘finger’Thirumalai 72: 32
Tiddimkhut³ ‘hand’VanBik 09 PKC: 287
Tiddimkhut³ tum² ‘fist’also contains *tu(p/m)morphemeVanBik 09 PKC: 186
Tiddimkhut³ tum² ‘fist’also contains *tu(p/m)morphemeBhaskararao 96 CDB: 858
Tiddimχᴜt⁴ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14

1.2.1.2Southern Plains Chin18

Asho (Sandoway)kᴜᵊt¹ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Awa Khumiăprefix◦kɔɛ³ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Khumikíw ‘hand, front legs (of an animal)’VanBik 09 PKC: 287
Khumikíw◦pcueengmorpheme ‘fingernail, claw, talon’VanBik 09 PKC: 211
Khumi (Ahraing)keᴜ⁵ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Matupikut²ˋkʻi¹morpheme ‘elbow’Luce 85: O.10
Matupikuːt² ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Womatukᴜt² ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14

1.2.2Central Chin25

Bawmkut ‘hand’Schwerli 79
Khualsimkᴜt¹ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Lai (Hakha)kᴜt² ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14
Lushai [Mizo]ku-tangmorpheme ‘finger’Matisoff 87 BP
Lushai [Mizo]kùt n‘hand, the handle (of a spinning machine, etc)’VanBik 09 PKC: 287
Lushai [Mizo]kut pha ‘palm (hand)’Weidert 87 TBTo: 592
Lushai [Mizo]kut-phaʔ ‘palm (hand)(1)’Weidert 87 TBTo: 175
Lushai [Mizo]kut-tiamorpheme ‘finger (little)’Matisoff 87 BP
Lushai [Mizo]kùt-tùm n‘fist, the clenched hand’also contains *tu(p/m)morphemeVanBik 09 PKC: 186
Lushai [Mizo]kut◦phah ‘palm (of hand)’Marrison 67 Naga: 187
Lushai [Mizo]kut◦tummorpheme ‘fist’Matisoff 87 BP
Lushai [Mizo]kᴜt⁴ ‘hand’Luce 85: O.14

1.2.4“Old Kuki”15

Kom Remkut čemorpheme ‘index finger’Toba 91 KRQ: 7.1.1
Kom Remkut čəŋmorpheme ‘right hand’Toba 91 KRQ: 6.1.7.4
Kom Remkut pərmorpheme ‘finger’Toba 91 KRQ: 7.1
Kom Remkut pərmorpheme inčunnəmorpheme ‘knuckle (joint of digit)’Toba 91 KRQ: 7.3
Kom Remkut rəbumorpheme ‘fist’Toba 91 KRQ: 6.1.7.3
Kom Remkut temorpheme ‘little finger’Toba 91 KRQ: 7.1.4
Kom Remkut temorpheme umorpheme ‘ring finger’Toba 91 KRQ: 7.1.3
Kom Remkut tunmorpheme ‘fist’Toba 91 KRQ: 6.1.7.3
Kom Remkut◦rəkʰumorpheme ‘back of hand’Toba 91 KRQ: 6.1.7.2
Sorbungkʉ̀t◦kʰóommorpheme ‘hand span’Mortensen 11 Sorbung: BodyParts.357

1.3.2Angami-Pochuri Group1

Meluriaprefix◦khet ‘hand’Marrison 67 Naga

1.3.3Zeme Group4

Puironkhut ‘hand’Marrison 67 Naga
Puironkhut◦kimorpheme ‘elbow’Marrison 67 Naga
Puironkhut◦yungmorpheme ‘hand’Marrison 67 Naga

1.3.4Tangkhulic4

*Tangkhulickʰut ‘hand / arm’Mortensen 12 Tk
Tangkhul (Northern)amorpheme-kʰui ‘hand’Brown 37 Indo
Tusomʔəmorpheme-kfɯ ‘hand’Mortensen 12 Tk: BodyParts.168

1.4Meithei35

Meitheikhut məmimorpheme ‘fingerprint’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.1.6
Meitheikhut oymorpheme ‘left hand’Singh 91 MeiQ: 6.1.7.5
Meitheikhut yetmorpheme ‘right hand’Singh 91 MeiQ: 6.1.7.4
Meitheikhut əmasuŋmorpheme khoŋ#5621 PTB *r-kwa(ŋ) ‘FOOT’ ‘limbs / arms and legs’Singh 91 MeiQ
Meitheikhut-kimorpheme khujilmorpheme ‘fingernail’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.4.1
Meitheikhut-kimorpheme khujinmorpheme ‘fingernail’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.4.1
Meitheikhut◦ningmorpheme◦thaumorpheme ‘finger (ring)’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhut◦pimorpheme ‘thumb’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhut◦samorpheme ‘finger’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.1
Meitheikhut◦tummorpheme ‘fist’Singh 91 MeiQ: 6.1.7.3
Meitheikhu◦bakmorpheme ‘palm (of hand)’Marrison 67 Naga: 187
Meitheikhu◦bimorpheme ‘finger’Marrison 67 Naga
Meitheikhu◦dang ‘wrist’Marrison 67 Naga
Meitheikhu◦daŋ ‘wrist’Singh 91 MeiQ: 6.1.6
Meitheikhu◦dommorpheme ‘ring (finger ring)’Marrison 67 Naga
Meitheikhu◦dombimorpheme ‘index finger’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.1.1
Meitheikhu◦dônmorpheme ‘finger’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhu◦dônmorpheme◦bimorpheme ‘finger (index)’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhu◦dummorpheme ‘fist’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhu◦jengmorpheme ‘wrist’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikhu◦jinmorpheme ‘nail’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.4
Meitheikhu◦nawbimorpheme ‘little finger’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.1.4
Meitheikhu◦niŋthəwmorpheme ‘ring finger’Singh 91 MeiQ: 7.1.3
Meitheikut◦naumorpheme◦bimorpheme ‘finger (little)’Matisoff 87 BP
Meitheikʰut◦samorpheme ‘finger’Abbi 85

2.1.1Western Himalayish13

Bunankhu◦ṭubmorpheme ‘fist’Sharma, S.R. 91 Bu: 6.1.7.3
Bunankhyut◦simorpheme ‘arm’Sharma, S.R. 91 Bu: 6.1
Bunankhyut◦simorpheme ṭaŋmorpheme ṭaŋmorpheme ‘forearm / lower arm’Sharma, S.R. 91 Bu: 6.1.5
Kanaurigu n‘hand, arm’Bailey 11
Kanaurigu sabʻmorpheme ‘glove’Bailey 11
Kanaurigŭd s̱ẖĕnnigʻmorpheme ‘touch’Bailey 11
Kanaurigŭdʻ n‘hand / arm’Bailey 11
Kanaurigŭd◦ösmorpheme khoyāmigʻmorpheme ‘touch’Bailey 11

2.1.2.1Tibetan4

Tibetan (Written)khu-tshurmorpheme ‘fist’Zhang Liansheng 88: 40
Tibetan (Written)khu.tshurmorpheme ‘fist’Sun J 85 TbGl: 264
Tibetan (Written)kʻu-tʻsurmorpheme ‘fist’Matisoff 87 BP

2.3.4Western Kiranti8

Bahingdzumromorpheme gø ‘right hand’Michailovsky 74 Ba
Bahingpe:probable loanword◦roprobable loanword gø ‘left hand’Michailovsky 74 Ba
Sunwarguy◦nāːmorpheme ‘elbow’Matisoff 87 BP

2.4Kham-Magar-Chepang19

Chepangkrut n.‘arm, hand, tendril’Caughley 00 Chepang
Chepangkrut.pakmorpheme n.‘palm of hand’Caughley 00 Chepang
Chepangkrut◦pakmorpheme ‘palm (hand)’Caughley 72 CVoc: 2.A.53
Chepangŋoymorpheme◦krut ‘arm (right)’Caughley 72 CVoc: 2.A.49
Chepang (Eastern)krut ‘forearm / lower arm’Caughley 90 CheQ: 6.1.5
Chepang (Eastern)ŋoymorpheme◦krut ‘right hand’Caughley 90 CheQ: 6.1.7.4

3.2Qiangic23

Ersuku⁵⁵ tsi⁵⁵morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ErsQ
Ersuku⁵⁵tsi⁵⁵morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.18
Guiqiongko⁵³ ‘hand’Sun H 91 GuiQ
Guiqiongko⁵³ tʃɔ̃³³morpheme lɑ³³morpheme phɑ⁵⁵morpheme ‘left hand’Sun H 91 GuiQ
Guiqiongko⁵³ wi⁵⁵morpheme lɑ⁵⁵morpheme phɑ⁵⁵morpheme ‘right hand’Sun H 91 GuiQ
Guiqiongko⁵⁵ kho³³morpheme kho³³morpheme ‘palm’Sun H 91 GuiQ
Guiqiongkuɔ⁵⁵ȵỹ⁵⁵morpheme ta³⁵morphemewu⁵⁵morpheme n‘thumb’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0110.16
Guiqiongkuɔ⁵⁵ɕɛ̃⁵⁵morpheme nbp‘nail’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0113.16
Qiang (Taoping)χkue³¹ȵi³³morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.9
Queyu (Yajiang) [Zhaba]khu⁵⁵tsi⁵³morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.16
Queyu (Yajiang) [Zhaba]kʰu⁵⁵ tsi⁵³morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZhaQ: 6.1.7.3
Queyu (Xinlong)ʂkə³³pɔ¹³morpheme n‘fist’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0114.13
Xumilie³³morpheme qhu⁵⁵ tsho⁵⁵morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ShiQ
Xumilie³³morphemeqhu⁵⁵tsho⁵⁵morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.20
Zhaba (Daofu County)ʂkʌ⁵⁵tshe⁵⁵morpheme n‘fist’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0114.14

3.3rGyalrongic4

Ergong (Danba)ʐgu lumorpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ErDQ: 6.1.7.3
Ergong (Danba)ʐgu lumorpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.14

3.3.1rGyalrong7

rGyalrongtaprefix rku ‘fist’Dai 89 Jiar: 6.1.7.3
rGyalrongtaprefix rkut ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.12
rGyalrong (Eastern)taprefix◦r̥kut ‘fist’Sun H 91 rEQ: 6.1.7.3
rGyalrong (Northern)təprefix◦ʃkʰət ‘fist’Sun H 91 rNQ: 6.1.7.3
rGyalrongtaprefix rkut ‘fist’Nagano 97 GyQ: 6.1.73
rGBenzhentaprefix-rkut ‘fist’Sun J 97 rGB

6.1.2.1Northern Loloish14

Noesuko²¹po²¹morpheme ‘fist’Chen 86 Yi: 6.1.7.3
Nosuku²¹tsɿ²¹morpheme ‘fist’Chen 86 Yi: 6.1.7.3
Yi (Liangshan)ku²¹ʦɿ²¹morpheme ‘fist’Ma 08 Yi: index
Yi (Wuding)ku̱²tshɯ̱²morpheme n‘fist’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0114.38
Yi (Xide)ku²¹tsɿ²¹morpheme n‘fist’Huang and Dai 92 TBL: 0114.35
Yi (Xide)ku²¹tsɿ²¹morpheme ‘fist’Sun H 91 ZMYY: 252.21

6.1.2.2Central Loloish4

Cite this entry

STEDT etymon #712, *k(r)u-t ‘HAND / FIST / ARM’.
Stable link: https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/712
Data: STEDT v1.0 (2017). Accessed: [date].
References: incl 378,714,716,715,713
BibTeX
@misc{stedt-712,
  title  = {{*k(r)u-t 'HAND / FIST / ARM'}},
  author = {STEDT},
  year   = {2017},
  note   = {Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus (STEDT) v1.0, etymon #712},
  url    = {https://larc-iu.github.io/stedt/etymon/712}
}