Translingual

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Symbol

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zu

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

Angami

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Alternative forms

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Noun

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zu

  1. water
  2. fermented rice beer

References

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  • 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

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Etymology

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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

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  • Audio:(file)

Pronoun

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zu

  1. Second-person singular personal pronoun; you

Declension

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References

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

Further reading

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

German

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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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

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  • 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

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zu [with dative]

  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

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

Particle

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zu

  1. (with infinitives of verbs) to
    etwas zu essensomething to eat

Adverb

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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

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

Derived terms

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Adjective

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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

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Indeclinable, predicative-only.

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Further reading

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Japanese

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Romanization

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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

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Noun

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zu

  1. water

Further reading

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Luxembourgish

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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Preposition

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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

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  • 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

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Derived terms

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Adverb

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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

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Romanization

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zu

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

Usage notes

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  • 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

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Etymology

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Compare German zu, Dutch te, English to.

Preposition

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zu

  1. at, to

Sicilian

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Etymology 1

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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

Noun

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zu

  1. Alternative form of ziu
    Ou, cucì, ti saluta u zu Ninu.Hey, bro, “uncle” Ninu greets you.

Etymology 2

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Uncertain.

Pronunciation

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

Interjection

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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
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  • 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
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  • 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.
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Sumerian

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Romanization

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zu

  1. Romanization of 𒍪 (zu)

Volapük

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Conjunction

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zu

  1. in addition