чихэр
Mongolian
Etymology
From Proto-Mongolic *šiker/*šikir. Probably transmitted via a Turkic language from Persian شکر (šakar), ultimately from Sanskrit शर्करा (śárkarā, “ground or candied sugar, originally meaning grit, gravel”).
Initial ч- (č-) is irregular and isn't found in all dialects, but there exist parallels in other Mongolic and Turkic languages such as Middle Mongolian 扯克兒 (čeker), جَكَرْ (čeker) (a hapax legomenon) in Karakhanid يَنْدَنْ جَكَرْ (yandak čeker, “manna”, literally “camelthorn sugar”) or Kipchak [Arabic needed] (čeker börek, literally “sugar burek”).
Noun
чихэр • (čiher) (Mongolian spelling ᠰᠢᠬᠢᠷ (siqir))
- sugar
- candy
Descendants
- → Southern Altai: чикир (čikir)
- → Tuvan: чигир (čïgïr)