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Definition of wu

wu

/wuː/
wu

Plural:wu
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wu Lexical Profile

wu Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A major group of Sinitic languages or Chinese dialects spoken primarily in Shanghai, Zhejiang province, and southern Jiangsu province in eastern China.

Example

"Shanghainese is the most internationally recognized variety of Wu."


2

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.


3

A shaman, sorcerer, or spirit medium in traditional Chinese folk religion and historical texts.

Example

"In ancient times, the wu performed elaborate rituals to invoke rain during severe droughts."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for wu

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.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wu. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wu
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