wu
wu Lexical Profile
• noun
A major group of Sinitic languages or Chinese dialects spoken primarily in Shanghai, Zhejiang province, and southern Jiangsu province in eastern China.
"Shanghainese is the most internationally recognized variety of Wu."
An ancient Chinese state during the Zhou dynasty, or the later kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, located in the lower Yangtze River region of China.
"The Kingdom of Wu played a prominent role in the political and military power struggles of the Three Kingdoms era."
A shaman, sorcerer, or spirit medium in traditional Chinese folk religion and historical texts.
"In ancient times, the wu performed elaborate rituals to invoke rain during severe droughts."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often capitalized as 'Wu' when referring to the linguistic group or historical Chinese state; lowercase 'wu' in academic contexts may refer to traditional Chinese shamans or spiritual mediums.
• Rhymes for wu
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Mandarin Chinese 'Wú' (吳), referring to the eastern geographic region and its associated language group, or 'wū' (巫), meaning shaman or sorcerer.