From Ottoman Turkish سجیم (sicim, “string, cord, twine”) (alternative forms; سجم, سیجیم), possibly from Classical Mongolian ᠰᠢᠴᠢᠮ (sičim, “rope”) but this is not certain. Cognates with Azerbaijani sicim, Karachay-Balkar джиджим (cicim), Karakalpak şıjım, Nogai şıjım.