ငုံ

All senses are grouped together by MED, though MED separates them.

The "hold in mouth" sense is from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *ŋam (“to chew, hold in the mouth”) (whence Chepang [script needed] (ŋam-, “to chew”)), which may be allofamic with Proto-Sino-Tibetan *mV-kəm (“to hold in the mouth”).

The "bud" sense is from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *muːm (“bud”), whence Mizo [Term?] (kuh mum, “bud”). STEDT additionally compares, tentatively, Old Chinese 萌 (OC *mreːŋ, “to bud”).

The "enclose" sense is probably connected to the "hold in mouth" sense, though STEDT does not assign etymology to it (ŋuṁ "enclose, shut up").

• IPA^(key): /ŋòʊɴ/
• Romanization: MLCTS: ngum • ALA-LC: ṅuṃ • BGN/PCGN: ngon • Okell: ngouñ

ငုံ • (ngum)

1. to keep in the mouth
2. (of flower) to bud
3. to build over, enclose, envelop (a structure)

• “ငုံ” in Myanmar–English Dictionary (Myanmar Language Commission 1993). Searchable online at SEAlang.net.