săng

Inherited from Proto-Vietic *s-raŋ (“wood”). Cognate with Muong Bi khăng, Arem cirɐ̀ŋ.

The meaning "coffin" is derived from the use of wooden coffins and was also the chief meaning of the word in late 19th-early 20th century Vietnamese texts. Although the word survived in a number of compounds, it is now rarely, if ever, used as a stand-alone word.

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [saŋ˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [ʂaŋ˧˧] ~ [saŋ˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [ʂaŋ˧˧] ~ [saŋ˧˧]

(classifier cái (“coffin; casket”)) săng • (棱, 槺)

1. (obsolete) plant; wood
2. (by extension, dated) coffin; casket
   • 1969, Doãn Nho, “Mĩ-Ngụy no đòn [The Americans and the false regime got rekt]”:

     Giặc Mĩ vẫn khoe khoang với mọi người rằng lắm thép gang,
     Tới đây hàng lũ hàng đàn, những là xe tăng (những là xe tăng).
     Ơ, hỡi ôi xe tăng ta nhằm hóa kiếp cho bay,
     Thành những là cái săng (những là cái săng).

     The American invaders keep bragging about their abundance of steels,
     coming here in droves, in flocks — a bunch of tanks (bunch of tanks).
     Oh, alas, our tanks send them into the afterlife,
     as a bunch of coffins (bunch of coffins).