ထုံး

The "knot" sense is connected by STEDT to Proto-Lolo-Burmese *tup ~ tip ~ tum (“to wrap up and tie”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tip ~ *tu(p/m) (“to wrap up”), whence also ထုပ် (htup, “to pack, bundle, wrap”); see there for more. Note also similarities to Old Chinese 統 (OC *tʰuːŋs, “interconnected relationship; to unite”).

The "pool" and "lime" senses are grouped with the "knot" sense by MED, perhaps with a linking connotation of "bound-together objects".

• IPA^(key): /tʰóʊɴ/
• Romanization: MLCTS: htum: • ALA-LC: thuṃʺ • BGN/PCGN: hton: • Okell: htoùñ

ထုံး • (htum:)

1. (formal) to knot one's hair, make a knot (of thread, rope, etc.)

ထုံး • (htum:)

1. numerical classifier used in counting knots, coils, etc.

ထုံး • (htum:)

1. (archaic) custom, usage, precedent
2. (archaic) a large pool formed by inflow of water from rivers
3. lime (slaked or unslaked) (white substance)

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