The story
- Cantonese · derived from細絲 /细丝“fine silk”
- English todaysycee
From Cantonese 細絲 /细丝 (sai³ si¹, “fine silk”), variously explained as owing to the bullion's ability to be worked into fine strands or from the resemblance of its luster.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.