kau

See also: Appendix:Variations of "kau"

Languages (25)

Translingual • English

---

Ajië • Albanian • Dibabawon Manobo • Fijian • German • Hawaiian • Hokkien • Indonesian • Japanese • Kapampangan • Kapingamarangi • Makasar • Malay • Mangarevan • Māori • Marshallese • Nai • Pitcairn-Norfolk • Rapa Nui • Tagalog • Tok Pisin • Tuamotuan • Wolio

---

Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Kanuri.

Symbol

kau

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Kanuri.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Kanuri terms

English

Adjective

kau (comparative more kau, superlative most kau)

1. (Singapore, colloquial) Alternative form of gau.

Ajië

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kau]

Adjective

kau

1. big

References

• Leenhardt, M. (1935), Vocabulaire et grammaire de la langue Houaïlou, Paris: Institut d'ethnologie. Cited in: "Houaïlou" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.
• Leenhardt, M. (1946), Langues et dialectes de l'Austro-Mèlanèsie. Cited in: "Ajiø" in Greenhill, S.J., Blust, R., & Gray, R.D. (2008). The Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database: From Bioinformatics to Lexomics. Evolutionary Bioinformatics, 4:271–283.

Albanian

Noun

kau

1. inflection of ka:
   1. definite nominative singular
   2. indefinite dative/ablative singular

Dibabawon Manobo

Noun

kaù

1. hat

Fijian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Central Pacific *kayu, from Proto-Oceanic *kayu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *kayu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *kayu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian *kaSiw.

Noun

kau

1. tree, shrub, plant (herbaceous plant, bush or woody plant)

   Synonyms: vu ni kau; kacu (Lau, Kadavu, Vanua Levu)

   E balavu na kau oqo.

   This tree is tall.

2. wood, timber, lumber

   E kaukauwa na kau ni vesi.

   Vesi wood is strong.

3. stick, pole, rod

   Taura mai e dua na kau.

   Bring a stick.

Derived terms

• kau kola (“to cut firewood ready to carry”)
• kau ni bati (“jawbone”)
• kau ni buka (firestick for friction)
• kau ni kuila (“flagpole”)
• kau ni siwa (“fishing rod”)
• kau-salusalu (flowering tree for garlands)
• kaucina, kaunicina (“canarium nut, java almond (Canarium harveyi)”)
• kaudamu (“Pacific nutmeg, Fijian nutmeg (Myristica castaneifolia)”)
• kaukamea (“little ironweed, purple fleabane (Vernonia cinerea)”)
• kaukaro (“itchwood, markingnut tree (Semecarpus vitiensis)”)
• kaulau (“thorny (of plant)”)
• kauloa (“ebony (and related trees)”)
• kaumoce (“sensitive plant (genus Cassia)”)
• kautabu, kau tabu (“stinging tree (Dendrocnide harveyi), sacred totemic plant”)
• kauvaro (“sawn timber”)
• kauveilatai (“cross, criss-crossed sticks”)
• Kauveilatai Damudamu (“Red Cross”)
• kauvuata, kau-vuata (“fruit tree”)
• kauvula (“kauri (Endospermum macrophyllum)”)
• va-kaukauwa-taka, va-kaukaua-taka (“to strengthen, to make firm”)
• vakaukaua (“bodybuilding”)
• vale kau (“wooden house”)
• vu ni kau (“tree”)

Etymology 2

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

Verb

kau (transitive kauta)

1. to take, to bring, to carry

   Kauta mai na isele.

   Bring the knife here.

   Kauta yani.

   Take it away.

2. to reach, to extend to (of a path, tide, etc.)

   Sa kauta na koro na sala.

   The path reaches the village.

Derived terms

• ikaukau (traditional presentation goods)
• kau baleta (“to intrude, to disrespect”)
• kau laivi, kauta laivi (“to reject”)
• kau na mata ni gone (ceremony introducing children to mother's village)
• kaukauta (“to be pretentious”)
• kauta cake (“to bring up (topic)”)
• kauwai (“interested, supportive”)
• kauwaitaka (“to support, to care about”)
• vakau, vakauta (“to send off”)
• vakau-caca-taka (“to slander”)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “kau”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[3], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, page 110

German

Pronunciation

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aʊ̯

Verb

kau

1. singular imperative of kauen

Hawaiian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkau̯/, [ˈkɐw], (rapid speech) [ˈkɔw]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *taqu (compare with Māori tau "year"), from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *taqun (compare with Malay tahun, Tagalog taón both meaning "year").

Noun

kau

1. season

   kau wela ― summer

   kau anu ― winter

   kau o makalapua ― spring

   ke kau o hāʻule lau ― autumn, fall

2. period of time, lifetime

   I ke kau i ke aliʻi o Ka-mehameha.

   In the time of the chief, Kamehameha.

3. semester, term
4. session

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *tau, from Proto-Oceanic [Term?], from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *taʀuq.

Verb

kau(transitive)

1. to place, to put
2. to settle, to perch
3. to enact, to impose, to levy (a tax)
4. to board, to mount
5. (of the moon) to rise
6. (of the sun) to set
7. to hang up

Derived terms

• hoʻokau (“put on”, verb)

Related terms

• kaulaʻi (“to hang to dry”, verb)

Etymology 3

From Proto-Polynesian *tau (“song”).

Noun

kau

1. sacred chant

Derived terms

• kanikau (“lamentation”)
• kaukau (reduplicated form)

Verb

kau

1. (transitive) to chant

Derived terms

• kauna (“chanting”)

References

• Pukui, Mary Kawena; Elbert, Samuel H. (1986), “kau”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN

Hokkien

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 交 (“to intersect; to cross; to reach; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 交).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 溝 (“ditch; trench; channel; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 溝).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 勾 (“to bend; to curve; to crook; to hook; to draw; to delineate; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 勾).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 郊 (“suburbs; outskirts; open spaces”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 郊).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 鉤 (“hook; barb; sickle; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 鉤).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 蛟 (“mythical flood dragon; etc.”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 蛟).

For pronunciation and definitions of kau – see 高 (“only used in 高長／高长”). (This term is the pe̍h-ōe-jī form of 高).

Indonesian

Alternative forms

• engkau, dikau

Etymology

Inherited from Malay kau, from Proto-Malayic *kau, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, from Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈkau̯/ [ˈkau̯]
    • Rhymes: -au̯
    • Syllabification: kau
  • IPA^(key): (colloquial, dialectal) /ˈko/ [ˈko]

Pronoun

kau

1. (poetic or regional) Second-person singular pronoun: you, your, yours

Usage notes

Largely used in poetry and songs. Might be perceived as literary or disapproving.

Synonyms

Indonesian informal second-person pronouns:

• anta (informal, mainly used by Muslim community)
• antum (informal, mainly used by Muslim community)
• coen (slang, East Java)
• ente (informal, mainly used by Betawi ethnic group)
• kamu (intimate)
• ko, kowe (informal, Java)
• kon, koen (colloquial, East Java)
• lu, lo, loe, elu (informal, mainly used by Betawi ethnic group)
• mika, mike (informal, Eastern Sumatra)

See also

Indonesian personal pronouns

		singular	plural
1st person exclusive	regular	aku, saya1	kami
	enclitic	-ku	-
	proclitic	ku-	-
1st person inclusive		-	kita
2nd person	regular	kamu, Anda2, kau3	kalian, Anda2, Anda sekalian2, Anda semua2
	enclitic	-mu	-
3rd person	regular	dia, beliau4, ia3	mereka
	enclitic	-nya	-
reflexive		diri5, diri sendiri
emphatic		sendiri

¹ Polite.
² Formal.
³ Now mostly literary.
⁴ Respectful.

⁵ Sometimes used as an emphatic marker instead of being reflexive.

Notes:

• This table only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language.
• The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
• The enclitics are only used obliquely (object or possessor), while the proclitic is only used as a subject.

See each entry for more information.

Further reading

• “kau”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Japanese

Romanization

kau

1. Rōmaji transcription of かう

Kapampangan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəˈu/ [kəˈʊ]
• Hyphenation: ka‧u

Noun

kau

1. thirst

Kapingamarangi

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Oceanic *kaʀu.

Verb

kau

1. to swim

Makasar

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈka.u/
• Hyphenation: ka‧u

Pronoun

kau (Lontara spelling ᨀᨕᨘ or 𑻠𑻱𑻴)

1. you (familiar second person)

See also

Makasar free and bound pronouns

	independent	absolutive	nominative	possessive
1st sg / 1st pl exclusive	nakke	-a'	ku-	-ku
1st pl exclusive (archaic)	kambe	-kang	ki-	-mang
1st pl inclusive / 2nd sg polite	katte	-ki'	ki-	-ta
2nd sg / pl familiar	kau	-ko	nu-	-nu
3rd sg / pl	ia	-i	na-	-na

Malay

Etymology

Shortened form of engkau, from Proto-Malayic *kau, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *(i-)kahu, from Proto-Austronesian *(i-)kaSu.

Pronunciation

• (Literary Standard, schwa-variety) IPA^(key): /ˈkaw/ [ˈkau̯]

• Audio (Malaysia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -kau̯, -au̯
• Hyphenation: kau

Pronoun

kau (Jawi spelling کاو)

1. you, your

   Alternative form: ko

Usage notes

Used among contemporary friends and relatives, especially of the same gender; also used in disapproving tones.

See also

Malay personal pronouns

	Singular	Plural
1st person	saya1 aku3	kita4 kami2 & 5 kita orang3 & 5
2nd person	awak1 anda2 awda8 (eng)kau3 kamu3	(2nd person) + semua6 kalian2 (eng)kau orang3
3rd person	dia ia beliau7 -nya2	mereka2 dia orang3

¹ Polite.
² Formal.
³ Informal.
⁴ Includes the listener (inclusive).
⁵ Excludes the listener (exclusive).
⁶ Formality depends on the second person pronoun used.
⁷ Honorific.
⁸ Formal (Brunei).

Notes:

• This table mostly only shows personal pronouns that are commonly used in the standard language and within the Klang Valley area.
• The second person pronouns are often replaced by kinship terms, titles, or the like.
• The enclitic -nya is only used obliquely (as an object or possessor).
• The second person pronoun kamu is usually only used when speaking with younger speakers.

See each entry for more information.

Mangarevan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Oceanic *kaʀu.

Verb

kau

1. to swim

Māori

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkau/ [ˈkɐʉ]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Central Pacific *kayu, from Proto-Oceanic *kayu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *kayu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *kayu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian *kaSiw. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻau and Tongan kau.

Noun

kau (used in the form rākau)

1. tree; wood
2. stick

Derived terms

• kakau (“handle; stem”)
• kaunoti (“bottom firestick”)
• kaupae (“trestle”)
• kaupapa (“platform”)
• kaupeka (“branch”)
• kaurapa (“buttress”)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Central Pacific *karu, from Proto-Oceanic *kaʀu. Cognates include Hawaiian and Tahitian ʻau.

Verb

kau (used in the form kauhoe-tia)

1. to swim

   Synonym: kakau

2. to wade

Derived terms

• kau aihe (“the butterfly stroke”)
• kau āpuru (“the breaststroke”)
• kau kiore (“the backstroke”)
• kau tāhoe (“the sidestroke”)
• kau tāwhai (“freestyle swimming; to swim freestyle”)
• kau tīraha (“the backstroke; to swim backstroke”)
• kauanga (“ford”)
• whakakau (“to make something to swim”)

Related terms

• kaukau

Etymology 3

Borrowed from English cow.

Noun

kau

1. a cow

Derived terms

• kiko kau (“beef”) (cow meat)
• kirikau (“cowhide, cow leather”)
• kūao kau uha (“a heifer”)
• mīhini kutētē kau (“a milking machine”)
• mīhini miraka kau (“a milking machine”)
• mīti kau (“beef”) (cow meat)
• whāma kau (“a dairy farm”)

Further reading

• Williams, Herbert William (1917), “kau”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, 5th edition, Wellington, N.Z.: Marcus F. Marks, page 123
• John C. Moorfield (2011), “kau”, in Te Aka: Māori–English, English–Māori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, →ISBN

Marshallese

Etymology

Borrowed from English cow.

Pronunciation

• (phonetics) IPA^(key): [kɑːu], (enunciated) [kɑ wu]
• (phonemic) IPA^(key): /kæɰwiw/
• Bender phonemes: {kahwiw}

Noun

kau (construct kauin)

1. cow
2. beef

References

• Abo, Takaji; Bender Byron W.; Capelle, Alfred; DeBrum, Tony (2009–), “kau”, in Marshallese–English Online Dictionary‎^[4]

Nai

Noun

kau

1. tree

References

• Newton Hamlin, Biaka Organised Phonology Data (1992)
• Wietze Baron, Kwomtari Survey (1983)

Pitcairn-Norfolk

Etymology

From English cow.

Noun

kau

1. cow

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Oceanic *kaʀu. Cognates include Hawaiian ʻau and Māori kau.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈka.u/
• Hyphenation: ka‧u

Verb

kau

1. (intransitive) to swim

References

• Veronica Du Feu (1996), Rapanui (Descriptive Grammars), Routledge, →ISBN, page 207
• Paulus Kieviet (2017), A grammar of Rapa Nui‎^[5], Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, page 29

Tagalog

Etymology

From kayo but the last syllable replaced with homophonous English U. See also un for iyon, and ngaun for ngayon.

Pronoun

kau (Baybayin spelling ᜃᜌᜓ) (text messaging, Internet slang)

1. abbreviation of kayo (“you (plural or sometimes polite singular form)”)

Anagrams

• uka, Kua

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English cow.

Noun

kau

1. cow

Tuamotuan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kau, from Proto-Oceanic *kaʀu.

Verb

kau

1. to swim

Wolio

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian *kaSiw.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kau/

Noun

kau

1. wood

References

• Anceaux, Johannes C. (1987), Wolio Dictionary (Wolio-English-Indonesian) / Kamus Bahasa Wolio (Wolio-Inggeris-Indonesia), Dordrecht: Foris