Proto-Tungus-Manchu: *nem(i)-
Meaning: thin
Russian meaning: тонкий
Evenki: nemkūn
Even: nemkun
Negidal: nemkūn
Spoken Manchu: niŋkǝn, niŋkin (2414)
Literary Manchu: nekel'en
Jurchen: nen-ke-xun (623)
Ulcha: nemi
Orok: nemdūke
Nanai: nemi
Oroch: nemi, nemne
Udighe: nemnese` (Корм. 268)
Solon: nemekũ, nennekũ
Comments: ТМС 1, 621. The original root must have been *niambu- (*ńiambu-), and it has left numerous traces: cf. Evk. jembu, jume-kin, ńumē-kūn 'thin, lean', Evn. ńubuke, ńebuke, ńȫmeŋi id., Nan. jembuk 'loose'. However, the root was heavily influenced by *ńem- 'soft' (v. sub *ni̯ùmà) and perhaps also by Mong. nimgen 'thin' (although direct borrowing of the words meaning 'thin' from Mongolian is hardly probable), which gave rise to the variant *nem(i)- 'thin'.
