tō

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word tō. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word tō, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say tō in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word tō you have here. The definition of the word tō will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition oftō, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Appendix:Variations of "to"

Hokkien

For pronunciation and definitions of tō – see 就 (“to approach; to move towards; to reach; to arrive at; etc.”).
(This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 就).

Japanese

Romanization

tō

  1. Rōmaji transcription of とお
  2. Rōmaji transcription of とう

Kato

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *tuˑ.

Noun

tō

  1. water

References

  • Pliny Earle Goddard, Bill Ray, Kato texts (1909)

Maori

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *to (“sugar cane” ― compare with Hawaiian kō, Rarotongan tō and Tongan tō), from Proto-Oceanic *topu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *təbuh “sugar cane” (compare with Malay tebu), from Proto-Austronesian *təbuS. Sense of stem displaced the original plant meaning as sugarcane did not survive the cold New Zealand climate.

Noun

tō

  1. plant stem/stalk – esp. of non-woody monocots like raupō (Typha orientalis), maize etc.
    Synonyms: kau, kakau, tā
  2. finger
    Synonyms: mati, toi
  3. (archaic) sugar cane
Derived terms

References

  1. ^ Tregear, Edward (1891) Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary‎, Wellington, New Zealand: Lyon and Blair, page 520
  2. ^ Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2008) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic, volume 3: Plants, Canberra: Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 389-91
  3. ^ Furey, Louise (2006) Maori gardening: An archaeological perspective, Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Conservation, →ISBN, page 10
  4. ^ “Raupō”, in Te Māra Reo‎, Benton Family Trust, 2025

Etymology 2

From English stove.

Noun

tō

  1. stove

Etymology 3

Noun

tō

  1. dragging
  2. portage

Verb

tō

  1. to drag or open/shut (incl. both physical and computer windows)

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Determiner

tō

  1. (possessive, neutral/informal) your (singular) (Must be followed by a noun.)
  2. belonging to (combines with dual and plural pronouns)
  3. (possessive) Denotes ownership of.
    He motokā tō Timu.
    Timu owns a car.
    (literally, “A car owned (by) Timu”)
  4. that of, the one of

Etymology 5

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

tō

  1. to be calm, peaceful, tranquil
  2. to set (of an astronomical body)

Etymology 6

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

tō

  1. to vibrate, tingle
    tō te taringa
    ringing in the ears

Further reading

  • Williams, Herbert William (1917) “tō”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 501-2
  • "tō" - Maori Dictionary

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *to (“to set”). Cognates include Tongan tō and Maori tō.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈtoː/
  • Hyphenation: tō

Noun

tō

  1. (intransitive, of the Sun) to rise

References

  • Paulus Kieviet (2017) A grammar of Rapa Nui‎, Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, page 29

Tokelauan

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *te-o-u. Cognates include Hawaiian kou and Samoan lou.

Determiner

tō

  1. (inalienable, definite) thy, your
See also
Tokelauan possessive determiners
Definite inalienable (O-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. toku, tota1 to māua to mā to mātou oku, ota1 o māua o mā o mātou
incl. ― to tāua to tā to tātou ― o tāua o tā o tātou
2nd person tō toulua toutou ō oulua outou
3rd person tona to lāua to lā to lātou ona o lāua o lā o lātou
Definite alienable (A-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. taku, tata1 ta māua ta mā ta mātou aku, ata1 a māua a mā a mātou
incl. ― ta tāua ta tā ta tātou ― a tāua a tā a tātou
2nd person tau taulua tautou au aulua autou
3rd person tana ta lāua ta lā ta lātou ana a lāua a lā a lātou
Indefinite inalienable (O-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. hoku, hota1 ho māua ho mā ho mātou ni oku,
ni ota1 		ni o māua ni o mā ni o mātou
incl. ― ho tāua ho tā ho tātou ― ni o tāua ni o tā ni o tātou
2nd person hō houlua houtou ni ō ni oulua ni outou
3rd person hona ho lāua ho lā ho lātou ni ona ni o lāua ni o lā ni o lātou
Indefinite alienable (A-type)
singular reference plural reference
sg du pl sg du pl
long short long short
1st person excl. haku, hata1 ha māua ha mā ha mātou ni aku,
ni ata1 		ni a māua ni a mā ni a mātou
incl. ― ha tāua ha tā ha tātou ― ni a tāua ni a tā ni a tātou
2nd person hau haulua hautou ni au ni aulua ni autou
3rd person hana ha lāua ha lā ha lātou ni ana ni a lāua ni a lā ni a lātou

1) Sympathetic

Etymology 2

Te tō (2.1).

From Proto-Polynesian *toqo. Cognates include Tongan toˈo and Samoan to.

Noun

tō

  1. pickaxe, pick
  2. landslide, avalanche

Verb

tō

  1. (transitive) to pickaxe
  2. (transitive) to loosen
  3. (stative) to be loose
  4. (intransitive) to fall
  5. (intransitive) to set (go down the horizon)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Polynesian *to. Cognates include Hawaiian kō and Samoan tō.

Noun

tō

  1. pregnancy

Verb

tō (plural totō)

  1. (stative) to be pregnant

Etymology 4

Verb

tō

  1. (transitive) to sing the starting note of

References

  • R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎, Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 388

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *to.

Pronunciation

Noun

tō

  1. sugar cane
Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia