မှို

• IPA^(key): /m̥ò/
• Romanization: MLCTS: hmui • ALA-LC: mhui • BGN/PCGN: hmo • Okell: hmou

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Not mentioned by either STEDT or Luce 1981.”)

မှို • (hmui)

1. (archaic) period

From Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔ-məw¹ (“mushroom”), from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *g/s-məw (“mushroom, fungus”). Cognate with Nuosu ꂥ (hmu), Gong มู๋, Naxi mul, Japhug tɤjmɤɣ, and Jingpho kämu (STEDT). Luce's comparison with Old Chinese 毛 (OC *maːw, *maːws, “vegetation; mold”) appears at first glance to be outdated,^[1] as the "mold" sense for the Chinese is usually derived internally as a semantic extension of the basic "fur" sense. It is plausible, however, that the "mold" sense was etymologically separate in Chinese (and originally cognate with the Tibeto-Burman form above), and eventually pigeonholed onto the same character 毛 (máo) as the "fur" sense, with semantic reinforcement from "fur". Considering that the Lolo-Burmese form for "body hair" is reconstructed as *ʔ-məw¹, it is possible that the two terms for "fungus" and "fur" are etymologically the same root within Proto-Sino-Tibetan. Also note similarities to the later 蘑 (mó, “mushroom”).

မှို • (hmui)

1. mushroom
2. fungus
3. mold, mildew
4. tack

• “မှို” in Myanmar–English Dictionary (Myanmar Language Commission 1993). Searchable online at SEAlang.net.