Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *sam ~ sem-s ‎(“breath, spirit, mind”).

Pronunciation 1

• Old Tibetan:
  • IPA^(key): /*sems.pa/ (reconstructed)
• Ü-Tsang
  • Tibetan Pinyin: sam^h
  • (Lhasa) IPA^(key): /sam˥˩/

• Old Tibetan:
  • IPA^(key): /*sems.pa/ (reconstructed)
• Ü-Tsang
  • Tibetan Pinyin: sem^f-ba^f
  • (Lhasa) IPA^(key): /sem˥˥.pa˥˥/