The origin of the name laksa is unclear. One theory traces it back to Urdu/Persian lakhshah, referring to a type of vermicelli, which in turn may be derived from the Sanskrit lakshas meaning "one hundred thousand" (lakh). It has also been suggested that "laksa" may derive from the Chinese word , meaning "spicy sand" due to the ground dried prawns which gives a sandy or gritty texture to the sauce. The last theory is that the name comes from the similar sounding word "dirty" in Hokkien due to its appearance.[citation needed]