From Proto-Japonic *tumay (“nail, claw”).
*tume
- (anatomy) nail, claw
- Northern Ryukyuan:
- Kikai: 爪 (tumi, tsumi)
- Kunigami: 爪 (chimī)
- Northern Amami Ōshima: 爪 (chimï, tsïmï)
- Okinawan: 爪 (chimi)
- Okinoerabu: 爪 (chimi, chimī)
- Southern Amami Ōshima: 爪 (tïmï)
- Tokunoshima: 爪 (tsïmï)
- Yoron: 爪 (chimi)
- Southern Ryukyuan:
- Miyako: 爪 (tsïmi)
- Yaeyama: 爪 (tsïmi)
- Yonaguni: 爪 (nmi)
- Thorpe, Maner Lawton (1983) Ryūkyūan Language History[1], Doctoral dissertation. University of Southern California, page 272