bhamu

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• 𑀪𑀫𑀼 (Brahmi script)
• भमु (Devanagari script)
• ভমু (Bengali script)
• භමු (Sinhalese script)
• ဘမု or ꧤမု (Burmese script)
• ภมุ or ภะมุ (Thai script)
• ᨽᨾᩩ (Tai Tham script)
• ຠມຸ or ຠະມຸ (Lao script)
• ភមុ (Khmer script)
• 𑄞𑄟𑄪 (Chakma script)

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Indo-Aryan *HbʰrúHs (“eyebrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃bʰrúHs. Compare Sanskrit भ्रू (bhrū́), Old Marathi भवै (bhavai).

Noun

bhamu f

1. eyebrow

   Synonym: bhamuka

   • c. 50 BCE, Jataka (PTS Volume 6)‎^[1], page PTS 476, BJT 350:

     6098. Parisāyampi me ayye milayitvā- udikkhati, // Tasmā ajja bhamuṃ luddaṃ dajjāhaṃ dakarakkhino.

     Even in company he stares at me with open eyes; therefore I would give this rascal with his puckered brows to the water-demon.

   • c. 50 BCE, Vessantara-Jataka‎^[2]; published in V. Fausbøll, editor, The Jataka together with its Commentary, vol. VI, London, 1896, 10. Vessantarajātakaṃ, page 482:

     Nīlanettā nīlabhamu nīlakkhī ca yathā migī, // Phusatī nāma nāmena tattha p' assaṁ Purindada. 1690

     Black eyes, black pupils like a fawn, black eyebrows may I have, // And Phusatī my name: this boon, O bounteous one, I crave.

   • [c. 1200, Abhidānappadīpikā‎^[3], Anyaː Byākaraṇa gantha-saṅgahoː Abhidānappadīpikāpāṭhaː Bhūkaṇḍa (bis): paragraph 259:

     259. Lomaṃ tanuruhaṃ romaṃ, pamhaṃ pakhuma makkhigaṃ; // Massu vuttaṃ pumamukhe, bhū tvitthī bhamuko bhamu.

     Hair growing on the body hair, eyelash eyelash eyelash (?) // Beard shaved on a man's face, eyebrow (f.) eyebrow eyebrow.]

Declension

There is no clear evidence for whether this word is masculine or feminine. The consensus declension is therefore:

Declension table of "bhamu"

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	bhamu	bhamū
Accusative (second)	bhamuṃ	bhamū
Instrumental (third)		bhamūhi or bhamūbhi
Dative (fourth)		bhamūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)		bhamūhi or bhamūbhi
Genitive (sixth)		bhamūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)		bhamūsu
Vocative (calling)	bhamu	bhamū