rắn

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [zan˧˦]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʐaŋ˦˧˥]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ɹaŋ˦˥]

From Proto-Vietic *p-səɲʔ, from Proto-Austroasiatic *bsaɲ; cognate with Muong Bi thảnh, Khasi bseiñ and Pacoh cuxanh. Compare also Khmer ម្សាញ់ (msañ, “Year of the Snake”).

Attested in Phật thuyết đại báo phụ mẫu ân trọng kinh (佛說大報父母恩重經) as 破散 (MC phaH sanX) (modern SV: phá tản). Attested as Northern Middle Vietnamese rắn in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651); the modern North Central form is not a reflex of this, but descended from an unattested non-Northern Middle Vietnamese form.

• (North Central Vietnam) tắn

(classifier con) rắn • (𧋻, 破散)

1. non-constricting snake, as opposed to a trăn (“constricting snake”)

From Proto-Vietic *k-sanʔ (“solid; hard; firm”). Cognate with Arem tʰanˀ.

rắn • (吝, 硍, 𪣠)

1. hard; firm; rigid

   Synonym: cứng

   rắn lại ― to stiffen

   rắn/cứng đầu ― stubborn

   rắn chắc ― well-built and having strong support

2. (physics) solid

• lỏng (“liquid”)
• khí (“gas”)