# zu
## Translingual
### Symbol

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

## Angami
### Alternative forms

* dzu

### 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.

### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)
* IPA: /s̻u/, [s̻u]

### Pronoun

zu
* Second-person singular personal pronoun; you

#### Related terms

* zeu

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

### Preposition

zu [with dative]
* 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)
* bis zu
* zu Fuß
* zu Fuss
* zu Hause
* zu Herzen nehmen
* zu Recht
* Zuhause
* zuhause

### 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

* zumachen
* zuschließen
* zuschliessen

### 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.

#### Related terms

* heutzutage
* zu haben
* zuerst
* Zugang
* zumindest
* zunächst
* zurecht-
* zurück
* zusammen
* Zustand
* zuvörderst
* Zuwachs

### 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: /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 [with dative]
* to (in the direction of)
    Er hod zu seiner Mutter gesprung.He ran to his mother.
* by (using the means of)
    Sie gehd zu FusShe 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
* 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

* 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: /t͡su/

### 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

* (towards): bäi; op

#### Derived terms

* zum
* zur

#### Related terms

* ze
* zou

### 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
#### Alternative forms

* ziu

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /t͡sʊ/, [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: /ˈt͡su/, [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 [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

* avaja
* avà
* buì
* ippì
* ivì
* marvaja
* puì

## Sumerian
### Romanization

zu
* Romanization of 𒍪 (zu)

## Volapük
### Conjunction

zu
* in addition