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sahāyopi

saha

masculine nominative singular + enclitic particle (substantive + conjunction)

1. saha (adj): mutual; in common
2. saha (adj): enduring; prevailing against; overcoming; conquering
3. sahāya (masc): friend; companion; ally; fellow traveller; lit. going with

Built from

• saha — root · with, together
  From Indo-European *sem-, the same root as Latin similis 'like', English same. In Pali often reduced from sam-; the concrete sense is spatial togetherness.
• āya — ending · agent/one who
  Agentive suffix forming masculine nouns from verbal roots; here with √gam implied, 'one who goes with'.
• pi — ending · also, even
  Enclitic particle (often written as api in full form) meaning 'even, also, too'; here adds the sense of limitation or concession—even a friend cannot prevent what comes.

Analysis. sahāyo + api: 'friend' + 'even, also', expressing that even a companion or fellow cannot help; used in contexts of isolation or the limits of companionship.

Etymology. saha (from Sanskrit saha, Indo-European *sem- 'together', cognate with English same, Latin similis) + āya (agent suffix -āya, 'one who does'); literally 'one who goes with'. The prefix sam- > sa- before single consonant; √gam 'go' implied. Cognate with Sanskrit sahāya, Greek homos 'same'.

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

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