Etymology

སེམས ‎(sems, “mind, sentience”) +‎ ཅན ‎(can, “possessor”).

Pronunciation

• Old Tibetan:
  • IPA^(key): /*sems.t͡ɕan/ (reconstructed)
• Ü-Tsang
  • Tibetan Pinyin: sem^f-jaen^f
  • (Lhasa) IPA^(key): /sem˥˥.t͡ɕɛ̃˥˥/