zu

English Online Dictionary. What means zu‎? What does zu mean?

Translingual

Symbol

zu

1. (international standards) ISO 639-1 language code for Zulu.

Angami

Alternative forms

• dzu

Noun

zu

1. water
2. fermented rice beer

References

• Visier Sanyu, A history of Nagas and Nagaland (1996, →ISBN, page 51 (zu, rice beer)
• Robert Gordon Latham, Elements of Comparative Philology, page 31 (Angami wordlist) (zu, water)
• The Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia (James Richardson Logan), volume 10 (1970) (Angami zu, water; mentions dzu)

Basque

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Basque *zu, originally a second-person plural pronoun. Over time, it came to be used as a polite second-person singular pronoun; while hi went from being a general second-person singular pronoun to a strictly informal one. In all the written record it appears as a singular pronoun, but it might have survived as a plural pronoun up to the nineteenth century in parts of Biscay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s̻u/, [s̻u]

Pronoun

zu

1. Second-person singular personal pronoun; you

Declension

Related terms

• zeu

References

Further reading

• “zu”, in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy] (in Basque), Euskaltzaindia [Royal Academy of the Basque Language]
• “zu”, in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], Euskaltzaindia, 1987–2005

German

Alternative forms

• zů (obsolete)

Etymology

From a spelling merger of two interrelated adpreps: 1.) Middle High German ze, from Old High German za, zi, from Proto-Germanic *ta; and 2.) Middle High German zuo, from Old High German zuo, from Proto-Germanic *tō. A distinction between both words has widely been retained in dialects, and also to some degree in modern spoken German (see pronunciation section below). Cognate with Silesian East Central German zu (contractions with the definite article: zum m or n, zur f); Dutch te, toe; Old Saxon tō; English to, too.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡suː/ (standard)
• IPA^(key): /t͡sə/ (variant in colloquial speech; chiefly with infinitives (particle) and adjectives (meaning “too”))
• Rhymes: -uː

Preposition

zu [with dative]

1. to, towards (indicates directionality)

   zum Bahnhof ― to the train station

2. with respect to; regarding

3. along with; with (accompanying (the main thing in question))

   Wasser zum Essen trinken ― to drink water with one’s meal

4. at, on (indicates location)

   zu Hause ― at home

5. at (indicates time)

   zur richtigen Zeit ― at the right time

   zu Beginn ― at the beginning

6. by, in, on, at (indicates mode (of transportation, speech, etc.))

   zu Pferd ― on horseback

7. (with a verb) for; (with a noun) as, by way of (for the purpose of)
8. for (in honor of, or directed towards the celebration or event of)
9. into (indicates transition into another form or substance)
10. as, for, to be (to take on the role of)
11. to (used to indicate ratios)
12. at (denotes a price or rate)

Derived terms

• (zu + dem) zum m or n
• (zu + der) zur f
• (zu + den) zun pl (obsolete)

Particle

zu

1. (with infinitives of verbs) to

   etwas zu essen ― something to eat

Adverb

zu

1. (with adjectives and adverbs) too (excessively)

   zu schnell ― too fast

2. (by extension, slang) An intensifier.

   Dieses Essen ist zu lecker! ― This food tastes so good!

3. towards; at
4. (somewhat informal) shut; closed; locked

   Synonym: geschlossen

   Antonyms: auf, offen, geöffnet

5. ahead, on (along, forwards (continuing an action))
6. (colloquial) As a separated part of dazu or wozu

Usage notes

(intensifier): Always stressed. Compare English so (“very much”).

Derived terms

Adjective

zu (indeclinable, predicative only)

1. (somewhat informal) shut, closed (made inaccessible or impassable; not open)

   Synonym: geschlossen

2. closed (not operating or conducting trade)
3. done up (fastened)
4. (slang) hammered; very drunk

Declension

Indeclinable, predicative-only.

Related terms

Further reading

• “zu” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• Friedrich Kluge (1883) “zu”, in John Francis Davis, transl., Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, published 1891

Hunsrik

Etymology

From Middle High German zuo, from Old High German zuo, from Proto-West Germanic *tō, from Proto-Germanic *tō, from Proto-Indo-European *de.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡suː/
• Rhymes: -uː
• Syllabification: zu

Adjective

zu (comparative zuner, superlative zunest)

1. closed

Declension

Adverb

zu

1. closed

2. too; overly

Preposition

zu [with dative]

1. to (in the direction of)

2. by (using the means of)

References

• Piter Kehoma Boll (2021) “zu”, in Dicionário Hunsriqueano Riograndense–Português (in Portuguese), 3rd edition, Ivoti: Riograndenser Hunsrickisch, page 181, columns 1–2

Japanese

Romanization

zu

1. The hiragana syllable ず (zu) or the katakana syllable ズ (zu) in Hepburn romanization.
2. The hiragana syllable づ (zu) or the katakana syllable ヅ (zu) in Hepburn romanization.

Korak

Noun

zu

1. water

Further reading

• J. A. Z'Graggen, 1980, A comparative word list of the Northern Adelbert Range Languages, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, p.80, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics

Luxembourgish

Etymology

Reduced form of zou, from Middle High German zuo, from Old High German zuo, from Proto-Germanic *tō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡su/

Preposition

zu (+ dative)

1. at, in

   Ech wunnen zu Réiden. ― I live in Redange.

2. with respect to, regarding
3. for (the purpose of)

   Dat Blietchen ass nëmmen zu denger Informatioun. ― The leaflet is just for your information.

4. (rare) to, towards

Usage notes

• The adverbial form of zu, used e.g., in compound verbs, is zou.
• With the singular forms of the definite article, zu may contract to zum (zu dem) and zur (zu der).

Synonyms

• (towards): bäi; op

Derived terms

• zum
• zur

Related terms

• ze
• zou

Adverb

zu

1. (when stressed) Alternative form of ze (“too”)

Mandarin

Romanization

zu

1. Nonstandard spelling of zū.
2. Nonstandard spelling of zú.
3. Nonstandard spelling of zǔ.
4. Nonstandard spelling of zù.

Usage notes

• Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

Compare German zu, Dutch te, English to.

Preposition

zu

1. at, to

Sicilian

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• ziu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡sʊ/, [t͡sʊ]
• Hyphenation: zu

Noun

zu

1. Alternative form of ziu

   Ou, cucì, ti saluta u zu Ninu. ― Hey, bro, “uncle” Ninu greets you.

Etymology 2

Uncertain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡su/, [ˈt͡su]
• Hyphenation: zu

Interjection

zu

1. (South-east of Sicily) Used to express astonishment, awe, amazement; exclamation at a sudden discovery.

   Zu! ― Wow!

2. (South-east of Sicily, invocational) Prefixed as an exclamation in immediate and laconic vocative.

   Zu, lu porcu! ― No way, you're [like] a pig!

   Zu, lu jencu! ― No way, you're [like] a bullock!

   Zu, lu crastu! ― No way, you're [like] a ram!

   Zu, lu bestia! ― No way, you're rough!

Translation notes

• This kind of interjection is colloquial, local and barely translatable. It can be vaguely approximated to English “Hey, you behave like an <animal>”, in a context of speakers who know the stereotyped characteristics of that given animal.

Usage notes

• It can express a wide range of feelings and meanings, depending on the context.
• Generally perceived as vulgar by Sicilians who do not speak this south-eastern dialect variant.

Related terms

Sumerian

Romanization

zu

1. Romanization of 𒍪 (zu)

Volapük

Conjunction

zu

1. in addition