As per Elgood, Nim means half, and - cha is just a diminutive suffix.
Thus, anything "half-size" or of mixed origin may conceivably be dubbed nimcha, be it a short boarding sword, waistcoat, or a man of only partially" good blood". No need to postulate transference of ethnicity onto a style of the weapon or vice versa.
But a half-wit is a complete idiot, half full is in fact half empty and half-cooked chicken is just raw and likely loaded with E. Coli:-))
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