Reconstruction:Proto-Sino-Tibetan/s-ni-s

Etymology

 * Proto-Sino-Tibetan: *s-nis (Chou, 1972); *sn̥jis (Coblin, 1986)
 * Proto-Tibeto-Burman: *s-ni-s (Matisoff, STEDT); *s-nis (Benedict, 1972; Chou, 1972; LaPolla, 1987)

Apparently formed from the same root *ni(-s) as 🇨🇬, showing the vestige of a quinary numeral system at some stage (probably much earlier than Proto-Sino-Tibetan), so that "7" was expressed as "5 + 2", as in. However attempts to relate any part of this proto-form to the root for "five" have been unsuccessful, and there is no evidence in other numerals (e.g. 6 and 1, or 8 and 3) to suggest the same quinary relationship.

Burmese has a prefix khu’ which as a separate morpheme means "unit, individual thing". Matisoff has argued that this component is cognate with, the connection being via the five fingers used in counting. Tibetan is unrelated to this root and its etymology has been something of a mystery.

Preemption of the nasal root initial by prefix is seen in Chinese (if the Old Chinese reconstruction by Zhengzhang is valid) and Lolo-Burmese. Many Kuki-Chin-Naga languages have r-, ɣ- or g- as the root initial. Matisoff believes this resulted from "rhotacism", or liquefaction of the nasal.

Numeral

 * 1) seven

Descendants

 * Standard:
 * Sichuanese:
 * Guangzhou:
 * Taishan:
 * Sixian:
 * Jian'ou:
 * Fuzhounese:
 * Xiamen, Zhangzhou:
 * Quanzhou:  (colloquial),  (literary)
 * Himalayish:
 * Tibeto-Kanauri:
 * Bodic:
 * Eastern Bodish:
 * Lolo-Burmese:
 * Burmish:
 * Qiangic:
 * Sal:
 * Bodo-Garo
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Xiamen, Zhangzhou:
 * Quanzhou:  (colloquial),  (literary)
 * Himalayish:
 * Tibeto-Kanauri:
 * Bodic:
 * Eastern Bodish:
 * Lolo-Burmese:
 * Burmish:
 * Qiangic:
 * Sal:
 * Bodo-Garo
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Himalayish:
 * Tibeto-Kanauri:
 * Bodic:
 * Eastern Bodish:
 * Lolo-Burmese:
 * Burmish:
 * Qiangic:
 * Sal:
 * Bodo-Garo
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Qiangic:
 * Sal:
 * Bodo-Garo
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * Sal:
 * Bodo-Garo
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)
 * (Luangthongkum, 2013)