Reconstruction:Proto-Sino-Tibetan/s-mjak ~ s-mik

Etymology

 * Proto-Sino-Tibetan: *(s-)myəːk (Chou, 1972), *myikw (Coblin, 1986)
 * Proto-Tibeto-Burman: *s-myak ⪤ *s-mik (Matisoff, STEDT); *(s-)myəːk (Chou, 1972); *myikw (Coblin, 1986); *mya[a]k (LaPolla, 1987)

This root shows alternation between medial *ya and *i.

In some languages (e.g. Burmish, Karenic) this word also means "face", a relationship perhaps reminiscent of Vietnamese ~.

Compare:
 * 🇨🇬 (Hmong (RPA): )
 * 🇨🇬 (🇨🇬, Modern 🇨🇬)
 * 🇨🇬 (Malay, 🇨🇬)

Noun

 * 1) eye

Descendants

 * Old Chinese:
 * Middle Chinese:
 * Modern Mandarin
 * Beijing:
 * Cantonese
 * Guangzhou:
 * Wu
 * Shanghai:
 * Min
 * Min Nan
 * Taiwan:  (colloquial),  (literary)
 * Himalayish
 * Tibeto-Kanauri
 * Bodic
 * Tibetan
 * Written
 * Ladakhi–Balti
 * East Bodish:
 * Tangut-Qiang
 * Northern Tangut
 * rGyalrongic
 * Mahakiranti
 * Kiranti
 * Western Kiranti
 * Eastern Kiranti
 * Sal
 * Bodo-Garo
 * Lolo-Burmese-Naxi
 * Lolo-Burmese
 * Burmish
 * Loloish
 * Northern Loloish
 * Nuosu (Liangshan):
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Khomic
 * Lemi Chin:
 * Khimi Chin:
 * Northern
 * Lolo-Burmese-Naxi
 * Lolo-Burmese
 * Burmish
 * Loloish
 * Northern Loloish
 * Nuosu (Liangshan):
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Khomic
 * Lemi Chin:
 * Khimi Chin:
 * Northern
 * Khomic
 * Lemi Chin:
 * Khimi Chin:
 * Northern
 * Khimi Chin:
 * Northern