know-how

See also: knowhow and Know-how

English

Alternative forms

• knowhow

Etymology

Deverbal from know how. American English, 1838.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈnəʊ.haʊ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈnoʊ.haʊ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (UK) -əʊhaʊ, (US) -oʊhaʊ
• Homophone: nohow

Noun

know-how (uncountable)

1. The knowledge and skill to be able to (do something correctly).

   Synonym: expertise

   Marlo has the know-how to fix your computer.

Derived terms

• snow-how

Descendants

• → Danish: know-how
• → Dutch: knowhow
• → Finnish: know-how
• → German: Know-how
• → Italian: know-how
• → Japanese: ノウハウ (nōhau)
• → Portuguese: know-how
• → Russian: ноу-хау (nou-xau)
• → Spanish: know-how
• → Swedish: know-how
• → Thai: โนว์ฮาว

Translations

the knowledge and skill to be able to do something correctly

• Arabic: دِرَايَة f (dirāya), بَرَاعَة f (barāʕa), مَهَارَة f (mahāra), حِذْق m (ḥiḏq)
• Bulgarian: умение (bg) n (umenie), вещина (bg) f (veština), ноу-хау (nou-hau)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 技巧 (zh) (jìqiǎo), 技能 (zh) (jìnéng), 知識／知识 (zh) (zhīshi)

• Danish: sagkundskab c, know-how c
• Esperanto: scipovo
• Estonian: oskusteave
• Finnish: tietotaito, know-how (fi), osaaminen (fi)
• French: savoir-faire (fr)
• Georgian: ნოუ ჰაუ (nou hau), ნოუ-ჰაუ (nou-hau), იცოდე როგორ (icode rogor) (know how [to do something])
• German: Fachwissen (de), Sachkenntnis (de) n, Know-how (de) n
• Hindi: व्यवहार-ज्ञान m (vyavhār-jñān)
• Italian: conoscenza (it) f, sapere fare m
• Japanese: ノウハウ (ja) (nōhau)
• Korean: 노하우 (ko) (nohau)
• Macedonian: спо́собност f (spósobnost), ве́штина f (véština)
• Persian: مهارت (fa) (mahârat), دانش (fa) (dâneš)
• Polish: know-how (pl) n
• Portuguese: saber-fazer (pt) m, savoir-faire (pt) m, know-how (pt) m
• Russian: ноу-ха́у (ru) n (nou-xáu) (indeclinable)
• Spanish: know-how m, saber hacer (es) m
• Swedish: sakkunskap (sv) c, know-how (sv)
• Thai: โนว์ฮาว (th)
• Ukrainian: ноу-ха́у n (nou-xáu)

Further reading

• “know-how”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “know-how”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Finnish

Etymology

Recent direct loan from English know-how

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈknou̯hɑu/, [ˈkno̞u̯ɦɑ̝u]

Noun

know-how

1. know-how

Synonyms

• tietotaito
• osaaminen

Further reading

• “know-how”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /noˈaw/, /noˈwaw/, (careful style) /noˈhaw/
• Rhymes: -aw

Noun

know-how m (invariable)

1. know-how

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).haʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).haʊ̯]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ˈno(w).ʁaw/ [ˈno(ʊ̯).χaʊ̯]

Noun

know-how m (plural know-hows)

1. know-how

   Synonyms: saber-fazer, savoir-faire

   • 2006, Daniela Zaitz, Direito & know-how, Jurua Editora, →ISBN, page 31:

     Outro tipo de conceitualização é aquela dada por François Magnin, que tenta sistematizar as diversas definições de know-how analisando a quais elementos a expressão se aplicaria. O autor conclui que podem ser objeto do know-how quatro tipos de elementos, considerados isoladamente ou em conjunto: a habilidade técnica, a experiência técnica, os conhecimentos técnicos e os processos.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2007, Ram Charan, Know-how: as 8 competências que separam os que fazem dos que não fazem, Elsevier Brasil, →ISBN, page 74:

     É necessário ter know-how para penetrar no caos organizado que existe na maior parte das empresas e concentrar-se no conjunto de elementos cruciais.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2007, R. Kelly Rainer Jr., Casey G. Cegielski, Introdução a Sistemas de Informação: Apoiando e transformando negócios na era da mobilidade, Elsevier Brasil, →ISBN, page 130:

     O conhecimento é criado conforme as pessoas determinam novas maneiras de fazer as coisas ou desenvolvem know-how. Algumas vezes, acrescenta-se conhecimento externo.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English know-how.

Noun

know-how n (uncountable)

1. know-how

Declension

declension of know-how (singular only)

	singular
n gender	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) know-how	know-howul
genitive/dative	(unui) know-how	know-howului
vocative	know-howule