FromProto-Vietic*s-maːʔ, fromProto-Mon-Khmer*maʔ(“seed”); cognate withOld Monma (modernMonမ(mɛ̀ˀ,“seed, kernel”),Proto-Katuic*hamaa(“seed; breed”) (whencePacohmma) and possiblySemelaismaʔ ("person").
Compare also themá element ingiống má,lúa má,thuế má.
Ultimately a nursery word.
mạ
mạ