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ehambho

sandhi form (interjection)

1. come now!; hey come!; come on!

Built from

• ehi — root · come!
  2nd singular imperative of √i 'go/come'. This is a preverbal exhortation, the plain imperative form used to urge immediate action. Related to English 'go' and Latin 'ire' through the Indo-European root *ei-.
• ambho — root · you there (vocative particle)
  An interjection serving as a direct address particle, sharpening the force of the command. The etymological origin is unclear; it may relate to a colloquial vocative appeal used in dialogue.

Analysis. ehi 'come!' (2nd sg. imperative of eti) + ambho 'vocative particle, you there', a contraction with sandhi assimilation (ehi + ambho > ehambho); used as an exclamation to call someone urgently or to encourage action.

Etymology. ehi < √i 'go' (cognate with English 'go', Latin 'ire'); ambho is an interjection of unknown origin but possibly related to a vocative appeal. The combination creates an emphatic, colloquial call to action in early Buddhist discourse.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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