နှီး

The "be close" sense appears to be related to နီး (ni:, “near”).

The "bamboo strip" sense, though grouped with the "be close" sense by MED, is tentatively derived by STEDT from a Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ʔ-nay¹/² ~ ʔ-ney² (“fiber, bamboo strip (for tying)”), from Proto-Tibeto-Burman *ʔ-ney (“bamboo strip (for tying)”), and compared with Akha [script needed] (nè, “bamboo strip”). Luce 1981's comparison with Old Chinese 篾 (OC *meːd, “bamboo strip”) appears phonetically unconvincing.

It is unclear whether the "spread something" sense is related to either of the above; MED groups them together, while STEDT implicitly separates the "spread" sense and leaves its origin open (hnî "spread out, for purpose of"). Luce 1981 appears to implicitly consider it a semantic extension of the "bamboo strip" sense, though.

• IPA^(key): /n̥í/
• Romanization: MLCTS: hni: • ALA-LC: nhīʺ • BGN/PCGN: hni: • Okell: hnì

နှီး • (hni:)

1. to spread or place something under another thing
2. to be close, be connected, join

နှီး • (hni:)

1. thin bamboo strips used in weaving mats, baskets, etc and in tying things

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