. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Symbol
zu
( international standards ) ISO 639-1 language code for Zulu .
Angami
Noun
zu
water
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
Pronoun
zu
Second-person singular personal pronoun ; you
Declension
Declension of Basque personal pronouns
Common pronouns
singular
plural
1st person
2nd person (informal)
2nd person (neutral)
1st person
2nd person
absolutive
ni
hi
zu
gu
zuek
ergative
nik
hik
zuk
guk
dative
niri
hiri
zuri
guri
zuei
genitive
nire ,ene
hire
zure
gure
zuen
comitative
nirekin ,enekin
hirekin
zurekin
gurekin
zuekin
causative
nigatik , niregatik ,enegatik
higatik , hiregatik
zugatik , zuregatik
gugatik , guregatik
zuengatik
benefactive
niretzat , niretako ,enetzat ,enetako
hiretzat , hiretako
zuretzat , zuretako
guretzat , guretako
zuentzat , zuendako
instrumental
nitaz
hitaz
zutaz
gutaz
zuetaz
inessive
nigan , niregan , nire baitan , nitan ,enegan , ene baitan
higan , hiregan , hire baitan , hitan
zugan , zuregan , zure baitan , zutan
gugan , guregan , gure baitan , gutan
zuengan , zuen baitan , zuetan
locative
nire baitako , ene baitako
hire baitako
gu baitako , gure baitako
zu baitako , zure baitako
zuen baitako
allative
niregana , nireganat , nire baitara , nire baitarat ,enegana , eneganat , ene baitara , ene baitarat
hiregana , hireganat , hire baitara , hire baitarat
zugana , zuregana , zuganat , zureganat ,zu baitara , zure baitara , zu baitarat , zure baitarat
gugana , guregana , guganat , gureganat ,gu baitara , gure baitara , gu baitarat , gure baitarat
zuengana , zuenganat ,zuen baitara , zuen baitarat
terminative
nireganaino , nire baitaraino ,eneganaino
higanaino , hireganaino ,hire baitaraino
zuganaino , zureganaino ,zu baitaraino , zure baitaraino
guganaino , gureganaino ,gu baitaraino , gure baitaraino
zuenganaino ,zuen baitaraino
directive
niganantz , nireganantz ,eneganantz
higanantz , hireganantz
zuganantz , zureganantz
guganantz , gureganantz
zuenganantz
destinative
niganako , nireganako ,eneganako
higanako , hireganako
zuganako , zureganako
guganako , gureganako
zuenganako
ablative
nireganik , niregandik , nire baitatik , nire baitarik ,eneganik , enegandik , ene baitatik , ene baitarik
higanik , hireganik , higandik , hiregandik ,hire baitatik , hire baitarik
zuganik , zureganik , zugandik , zuregandik ,zu baitatik , zu baitarik , zure baitatik , zure baitarik
guganik , gureganik , gugandik , guregandik ,gu baitatik , gu baitarik , gure baitatik , gure baitarik
zuenganik , zuengandik ,zuen baitatik , zuen baitarik
Emphatic pronouns
absolutive
neu
heu
zeu
geu
zeuek
ergative
neuk
heuk
zeuk
geuk
dative
neuri
heuri
zeuri
geuri
zeuei
genitive
neure
heure
zeure
geure
zeuen
comitative
neurekin
heurekin
zeurekin
geurekin
zeuekin
causative
neugatik , neuregatik
heugatik , heuregatik
zugatik , zuregatik
gugatik , guregatik
zuengatik
benefactive
neuretzat , neuretako
heuretzat , heuretako
zeuretzat , zeuretako
geuretzat , geuretako
zeuentzat , zeuendako
instrumental
neutaz
heutaz
zeutaz
geutaz
zeuetaz
inessive
neugan
heuregan , heure baitan
zeugan , zeuregan
geugan , geuregan
zeuengan
locative
neure baitako
heure baitako
zeure baitako
geure baitako
zeuen baitako
allative
neuregana
heugana , heuregana , heure baitara , heure baitarat
zeugana , zeuregana
geugana , geuregana
zeuengana
terminative
neuregaino
heuganaino , heureganaino , heure baitaraino
zeuganaino , zeureganaino
geuganaino , geureganaino
zeuenganaino
directive
neuganantz
heuganantz , heureganantz
zeuganantz , zeureganantz
geuganantz , geureganantz
zeuenganantz
destinative
neureganako
heuganako , heureganako
zeuganako , zeureganako
geuganako , geureganako
zeuenganako
ablative
neuganik , neugandik
heuganik , heureganik , heugandik , heuregandik ,heure baitatik , heure baitarik
zeuganik , zeureganik , zeugandik , zeuregandik
geuganik , geureganik , geugandik , geuregandik
zeuenganik , zeuengandik
References
^ “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
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
to , towards ( indicates directionality )
zum Bahnhof ― to the train station
with respect to; regarding
Zu Punkt 1 möchte ich bemerken, dass...With respect to item 1, let me remark that...
along with; with ( accompanying (the main thing in question) )
Wasser zum Essen trinken ― to drink water with one’s meal
at , on ( indicates location )
zu Hause ― at home
at ( indicates time )
zur richtigen Zeit ― at the right time
zu Beginn ― at the beginning
by , in , on , at ( indicates mode (of transportation, speech, etc.) )
zu Pferd ― on horseback
( with a verb ) for ; ( with a noun ) as , by way of ( for the purpose of )
for ( in honor of, or directed towards the celebration or event of )
into ( indicates transition into another form or substance )
as , for , to be ( to take on the role of )
to ( used to indicate ratios )
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
( with infinitives of verbs ) to
etwas zu essen ― something to eat
Adverb
zu
( with adjectives and adverbs ) too ( excessively )
zu schnell ― too fast
( by extension, slang ) An intensifier .
Dieses Essen ist zu lecker! ― This food tastes so good!
towards ; at
( somewhat informal ) shut ; closed ; locked
Synonym: geschlossen
Antonyms: auf , offen , geöffnet
ahead , on ( along, forwards (continuing an action) )
( 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 )
( 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.
closed ( not operating or conducting trade )
done up ( fastened )
( 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 )
closed
Declension
Adverb
zu
closed
Die Deer waar zu . The door was closed .
too ; overly
Preposition
zu
to ( in the direction of )
Er hod zu seiner Mutter gesprung. He ran to his mother.
by ( using the means of )
Sie gehd zu Fus She goes by foot.
References
Japanese
Romanization
zu
The hiragana syllable ず ( zu ) or the katakana syllable ズ ( zu ) in Hepburn romanization.
The hiragana syllable づ ( zu ) or the katakana syllable ヅ ( zu ) in Hepburn romanization.
Korak
Noun
zu
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 )
at , in
Ech wunnen zu Réiden. ― I live in Redange.
with respect to , regarding
for (the purpose of)
Dat Blietchen ass nëmmen zu denger Informatioun. ― The leaflet is just for your information.
( 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
( 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
Nonstandard spelling of zū .
Nonstandard spelling of zú .
Nonstandard spelling of zǔ .
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
at , to
Sicilian
Etymology 1
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /t͡sʊ/ ,
Hyphenation: zu
Noun
zu
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
( South-east of Sicily ) Used to express astonishment , awe , amazement ; exclamation at a sudden discovery.
Zu ! ― Wow !
( 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
Romanization of 𒍪 ( zu )
Volapük
Conjunction
zu
in addition