ʻūpā

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “How did the same word come to mean both "scissors" and "compass"?”)

From Mandarin, ao “to boil”; pa “eight.” Mandarin Luópán. The original compass was made in a bowl, they put mercury in the bowl with a spoon in the mercury. The bowl was marked with eight spots. The handle of the spoon would point to the magnetic direction (Chinese magnetic compass.) Synonyms (Cantonese) 羅庚／罗庚 (Min Nan) 羅經／罗经, 干經／干经

• IPA^(key): /ʔuːˈpaː/

ʻūpā

1. scissors
2. compass

• pānānā