Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-sa ‎(“obscure internal channel; vein, muscle, pulse, nerve”).

Pronunciation

• Old Tibetan:
  • IPA^(key): /*rt͡sa.ba/ (reconstructed)
• Ü-Tsang
  • Tibetan Pinyin: zaa^f, za^f-wa^f
  • (Lhasa) IPA^(key): /t͡saː˥˥/, /t͡sa˥˥.wa˥˥/