zu

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Translingual

Symbol

zu

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

Angami

Alternative forms

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.[1]

Pronunciation

  • Audio:(file)

Pronoun

zu

  1. Second-person singular personal pronoun; you

Declension

References

  1. ^ zu” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk

Further reading

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

German

Alternative forms

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 ; English to, too.

Pronunciation

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

Preposition

zu

  1. to, towards (indicates directionality)
    zum Bahnhofto the train station
  2. with respect to; regarding
    Zu Punkt 1 möchte ich bemerken, dass...
    With respect to item 1, let me remark that...
  3. along with; with (accompanying (the main thing in question))
    Wasser zum Essen trinkento drink water with one’s meal
  4. at, on (indicates location)
    zu Hauseat home
  5. at (indicates time)
    zur richtigen Zeitat the right time
    zu Beginnat the beginning
  6. by, in, on, at (indicates mode (of transportation, speech, etc.))
    zu Pferdon 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 essensomething to eat

Adverb

zu

  1. (with adjectives and adverbs) too (excessively)
    zu schnelltoo 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
    "Wann willst du denn los?"
    "Um 10? Nur wenn du da Lust zu hast."
    "When did you wanna go?"
    "At 10? Only if you're up for it."

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
    Das Geschäft war zu.
    The shop was closed.
    Die Tür muss aus Brandschutzgründen immer zu sein.
    This door must be shut at all times for reasons of fire safety.
    Die Tür ist zu, ich komm nicht rein.
    The door is locked, I can’t get in there.
  2. closed (not operating or conducting trade)
  3. done up (fastened)
  4. (slang) hammered; very drunk

Declension

Indeclinable, predicative-only.

Further reading

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

Declension of zu (see also Appendix:Hunsrik adjectives)
masculine feminine neuter plural
Weak inflection nominative zu zu zu zuune
accusative zuune zu zu zuune
dative zuune zuune zuune zuune
Strong inflection nominative zuuner zuune zuunes zuune
accusative zuune zuune zuunes zuune
dative zuunem zuuner zuunem zuune

Adverb

zu

  1. closed
    Die Deer waar zu.
    The door was closed.
  2. too; overly

Preposition

zu

  1. to (in the direction of)
    Er hod zu seiner Mutter gesprung.
    He ran to his mother.
  2. by (using the means of)
    Sie gehd zu Fus
    She goes by foot.

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 (zu) or the katakana syllable (zu) in Hepburn romanization.
  2. The hiragana syllable (zu) or the katakana syllable (zu) in Hepburn romanization.

Korak

Noun

zu

  1. water

Further reading

Luxembourgish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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

Derived terms

Adverb

zu

  1. (when stressed) Alternative form of ze (too)
    Dat ass net nëmme vill, dat ass zu vill.
    It’s not just much, it’s too much.

Mandarin

Romanization

zu

  1. Nonstandard spelling of .
  2. Nonstandard spelling of .
  3. Nonstandard spelling of .
  4. Nonstandard spelling of .

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

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /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/,
  • 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 a pig!
    Zu, lu jencu!No way, you're a bullock!
    Zu, lu crastu!No way, you're 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.

Sumerian

Romanization

zu

  1. Romanization of 𒍪 (zu)

Volapük

Conjunction

zu

  1. in addition