ŋə̆ kjɛ̠ʔ⁵⁵

From *ŋa³¹ (“(only in compounds) fish”) +‎ kjɛ̠ʔ⁵⁵ (“(in compounds) scale”). See *ŋa³¹ for more about the previous element.

According to STEDT, kjɛ̠ʔ⁵⁵ is from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-k-rəy (“skin”). However, this seems unlikely since the rhymes do not match. Instead, Proto-Sino-Tibetan *krap (“shell, shield”)　exhibits an excellent correspondence, cf. *grap (“skull”) vs. u³¹ kjɛʔ⁵⁵ (“skull”).

Thus cognate with Burmese ချပ် (hkyap), possibly Tibetan ཉ་ཁྲབ (nya khrab, “fish scales”), Chinese 甲 (OC *kraːb, “armour; carapace”), 介 (OC *kreːds, “armour; scale of animals”), Western Lalu tɕʰy̠³³ (“fish scales”) and Hani ngaq hhov (“fish scales”). Compare Lhao Vo a kye’, Zaiwa ajvap (“shield”) and Longchuan Achang a³¹ tɕet⁵⁵.

IPA^(key): /nɛ̠̃⁵⁵/

ŋə̆ kjɛ̠ʔ⁵⁵

1. fish scales

• ŋə̆ ta³¹ (“fish”)
• ŋə̆ ʃa³⁵ (“flesh of fish”)

• Huang Bufan (editor), Xu Shouchun, Chen Jiaying, Wang Huiyin, A Tibeto-Burman Lexicon (1992; Central Minorities University, Beijing)
• Mangshi Jinghpo ethnicity Association of Development and Progress Studies(芒市景颇族发展进步研究学会)(ed.), Han-Zaiwa-Pela Dictionary (汉文载瓦文波拉语对译词典) (2018; Dehong Nationalities Publishing House, Mangshi)