guru

See also: Guru and gurú

English

WOTD – 21 June 2011

Alternative forms

• goru [17th-19th c.]
• gooroo [19th c.]

Etymology

(deprecated template usage)

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Hindi गुरू (gurū) / (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Urdu گرو (guru) / (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Punjabi ਗੁਰੂ (gurū), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”), originally "heavy" and in this sense cognate to English grieve. (A traditional etymology based on the Advayataraka Upanishad (line 16) describes the syllables gu as 'darkness' and ru as 'destroyer', thus meaning "one who destroys/dispels darkness"). Doublet of grave, grief, and brute.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊɹuː/, /ˈɡuːɹuː/, /ɡʊˈɹuː/
• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʊɹ(ˌ)u/, /ˈɡu(ˌ)ɹu/, /ɡəˈɹu/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Noun

guru (plural gurus)

1. A Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher. [from 17th c.]
   • 1817, William Ward, History, Literature and Religion of the Hindoos, vol II:

     When the gooroo arrives at the house of a disciple, the whole family prostrate themselves at his feet, and the spiritual guide puts his right foot on the heads of the prostrate family.

   • 2010, Wendy Shanker, The Guardian, 10 May 2010:

     Traditionally, a guru is a spiritual teacher who guides a student on the road to Enlightenment, or finding God.

2. (sometimes humorous) An influential advisor or mentor. [from 20th c.]
   • 2004, ‘Vintage technology’, Time, 18 Oct 2004:

     Many oenophiles rely on the ratings and recommendations of wine guru Robert Parker when selecting the perfect bottle.

Derived terms

• Gurmukhi
• gurudom
• guruhood
• gurukul
• guruship
• Sadguru

 

Translations

spiritual teacher

• Afrikaans: ghoeroe (af)
• Arabic: مُعَلِّم رُوحِيّ m (muʕallim rūḥiyy), جُورُو (gūrū), غُورُو m (ḡūrū)
• Armenian: գուրու (hy) (guru)
• Assamese: গুৰু (guru)
• Bengali: গুরু (guru)
• Burmese: ဂုရု (gu.ru.)
• Catalan: guru (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 古魯／古鲁, 古鲁 (gǔlǔ), 導師／导师 (zh) (dǎoshī), 导师 (zh) (dǎoshī)

• Czech: guru (cs) m
• Dutch: goeroe (nl) m
• Esperanto: guruo
• Finnish: guru (fi)
• French: guru (fr) m, gourou (fr) m
• Georgian: გურუ (guru)
• German: Guru (de) m
• Greek: γκουρού (el) m (gkouroú)
• Gujarati: ગુરુ m (guru)
• Hindi: गुरु (hi) m (guru)
• Indonesian: guru (id)
• Japanese: グル (guru), 教祖 (ja) (kyōso)
• Kannada: ಗುರು (kn) (guru)
• Korean: 지도자 (ko) (jidoja), 구루 (guru)
• Khmer: គរុ (km) (kĕəʼruʼ), គ្រូ (km) (kruu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Lao: ຄຸຣຸ (khu ru), ຄູ (lo) (khū), ຄະຣຸ (kha ru)
• Latin: gurus m
• Macedonian: гу́ру m (gúru)
• Malay: guru
• Mongolian: гүрү (mn) (gürü)
• Nepali: गुरु (ne) (guru)
• Oriya: ଗୁରୁ (or) (guru)
• Pali: guru m
• Persian: گورو (guru)
• Polish: guru (pl) m
• Portuguese: guru (pt) m
• Punjabi: ਗੁਰੂ (pa) (gurū)
• Russian: гу́ру (ru) m (gúru), духо́вный учи́тель m (duxóvnyj učítelʹ)
• Sanskrit: गुरू (sa) m (gurū)
• Serbo-Croatian: guru (sh) m
• Slovak: guru m
• Spanish: gurú (es) m
• Thai: คุรุ (th) (kú-rú), ครู (th) (kruu)
• Telugu: గురువు (te) (guruvu), విశారదుడు (te) (viśāraduḍu), కోవిదుడు (te) (kōviduḍu)
• Urdu: گرو m (guru)

advisor or mentor

• Catalan: guru (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 導師／导师 (zh) (dǎoshī), 导师 (zh) (dǎoshī)

• Dutch: goeroe (nl) m
• Finnish: guru (fi)
• French: guru (fr) m, gourou (fr) m
• German: Guru (de) m
• Greek: γκουρού (el) m (gkouroú)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Macedonian: гу́ру m (gúru)
• Polish: guru (pl) m
• Portuguese: guru (pt) m or f
• Russian: наста́вник (ru) m (nastávnik), учи́тель (ru) m (učítelʹ)
• Sanskrit: गुरू (sa) m (gurū)
• Serbo-Croatian: guru (sh) m
• Spanish: gurú (es) m
• Tagalog: guro (tl)

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Blagar

Noun

guru

1. teacher

References

• Antoinette Schapper, The Papuan Languages of Timor, Alor and Pantar: Volume 1 (2014), p. 165

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Czech

Noun

1. guru (spiritual teacher)
2. guru (leader or expert in a field)

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Finnish

Noun

guru

1. A guru

Declension

Inflection of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		guru	gurut
genitive		gurun	gurujen
partitive		gurua	guruja
illative		guruun	guruihin
		singular	plural
nominative		guru	gurut
accusative	nom.	guru	gurut
	gen.	gurun
genitive		gurun	gurujen
partitive		gurua	guruja
inessive		gurussa	guruissa
elative		gurusta	guruista
illative		guruun	guruihin
adessive		gurulla	guruilla
ablative		gurulta	guruilta
allative		gurulle	guruille
essive		guruna	guruina
translative		guruksi	guruiksi
abessive		gurutta	guruitta
instructive		—	guruin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of guru (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative guruni guruni accusative nom. guruni guruni gen. guruni genitive guruni gurujeni partitive guruani gurujani inessive gurussani guruissani elative gurustani guruistani illative guruuni guruihini adessive gurullani guruillani ablative gurultani guruiltani allative gurulleni guruilleni essive gurunani guruinani translative gurukseni guruikseni abessive guruttani guruittani instructive — — comitative — guruineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gurusi gurusi accusative nom. gurusi gurusi gen. gurusi genitive gurusi gurujesi partitive guruasi gurujasi inessive gurussasi guruissasi elative gurustasi guruistasi illative guruusi guruihisi adessive gurullasi guruillasi ablative gurultasi guruiltasi allative gurullesi guruillesi essive gurunasi guruinasi translative guruksesi guruiksesi abessive guruttasi guruittasi instructive — — comitative — guruinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gurumme gurumme accusative nom. gurumme gurumme gen. gurumme genitive gurumme gurujemme partitive guruamme gurujamme inessive gurussamme guruissamme elative gurustamme guruistamme illative guruumme guruihimme adessive gurullamme guruillamme ablative gurultamme guruiltamme allative gurullemme guruillemme essive gurunamme guruinamme translative guruksemme guruiksemme abessive guruttamme guruittamme instructive — — comitative — guruinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gurunne gurunne accusative nom. gurunne gurunne gen. gurunne genitive gurunne gurujenne partitive guruanne gurujanne inessive gurussanne guruissanne elative gurustanne guruistanne illative guruunne guruihinne adessive gurullanne guruillanne ablative gurultanne guruiltanne allative gurullenne guruillenne essive gurunanne guruinanne translative guruksenne guruiksenne abessive guruttanne guruittanne instructive — — comitative — guruinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative gurunsa gurunsa accusative nom. gurunsa gurunsa gen. gurunsa genitive gurunsa gurujensa partitive guruaan guruansa gurujaan gurujansa inessive gurussaan gurussansa guruissaan guruissansa elative gurustaan gurustansa guruistaan guruistansa illative guruunsa guruihinsa adessive gurullaan gurullansa guruillaan guruillansa ablative gurultaan gurultansa guruiltaan guruiltansa allative gurulleen gurullensa guruilleen guruillensa essive gurunaan gurunansa guruinaan guruinansa translative gurukseen guruksensa guruikseen guruiksensa abessive guruttaan guruttansa guruittaan guruittansa instructive — — comitative — guruineen guruinensa

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French

Noun

guru m (plural gurus)

1. Alternative spelling of gourou

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Hausa

Noun

gūr̃ū m (plural gūr̃ā̀yē, possessed form gūr̃un)

1. A large leather belt, usually containing charms.

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Hungarian

Etymology

From Hindi गुरु (guru), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “heavy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡuru]
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru

Noun

guru (plural guruk)

1. guru (a Hindu or Sikh spiritual teacher)
2. guru (leader or expert in a field)

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	guru	guruk
accusative	gurut	gurukat
dative	gurunak	guruknak
instrumental	guruval	gurukkal
causal-final	guruért	gurukért
translative	guruvá	gurukká
terminative	guruig	gurukig
essive-formal	guruként	gurukként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	guruban	gurukban
superessive	gurun	gurukon
adessive	gurunál	guruknál
illative	guruba	gurukba
sublative	gurura	gurukra
allative	guruhoz	gurukhoz
elative	guruból	gurukból
delative	gururól	gurukról
ablative	gurutól	guruktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	gurué	guruké
non-attributive possessive - plural	guruéi	gurukéi

Possessive forms of guru
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	gurum	guruim
2nd person sing.	gurud	guruid
3rd person sing.	guruja	gurui
1st person plural	gurunk	guruink
2nd person plural	gurutok	guruitok
3rd person plural	gurujuk	guruik

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Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay guru, ultimately Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “guru, teacher, sage”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡu.ru/

Noun

guru (plural para guru, first-person possessive guruku, second-person possessive gurumu, third-person possessive gurunya)

1. teacher

Derived terms

• berguru
• guru agama
• guru baku
• guru bantu
• guru besar
• guru honorer
• guru kepala
• guru kula
• guru lagu
• guru mengaji
• guru penolong
• guru sekolah
• guru suara
• guru tetap
• guru wilangan
• keguruan
• menggurui
• perguruan

 

Further reading

• “guru” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

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Italian

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Hindi गुरू (gurū, “teacher”)

Noun

guru m (uncountable)

1. A guru (religious or spiritual leader; influential person)

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Latin

Noun

(deprecated template usage) gū̆rū

1. ablative singular of gū̆rus

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Lindu

Noun

guru

1. teacher

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Malay

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Sanskrit गुरु (gurú)

Noun

guru (plural guru-guru, informal 1st possessive guruku, 2nd possessive gurumu, 3rd possessive gurunya)

1. educator, teacher, instructor

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Mapudungun

A red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Alternative forms

• gvrv

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ŋʊʐʊ/

Noun

guru (using Raguileo Alphabet)

1. A fox

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Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative forms

• 𑀕𑀼𑀭𑀼 (Brahmi script)
• गुरु (Devanagari script)
• গুরু (Bengali script)
• ගුරු (Sinhalese script)
• ဂုရု or ၷုရု (Burmese script)
• คุรุ (Thai script)
• ᨣᩩᩁᩩ (Tai Tham script)
• ຄຸຣຸ (Lao script)
• គុរុ (Khmer script)
• 𑄉𑄪𑄢𑄪 (Chakma script)

Etymology

Cognate with Sanskrit गुरु (guru). It is an assimilatory modification of garu.

Adjective

guru

1. heavy
2. venerable

Declension

Declension table of "guru" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	guravo or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	guravo or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurave or guravo

Declension table of "gurunī" (feminine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	gurunī	guruniyo or gurunī
Accusative (second)	guruniṃ or guruniyaṃ	guruniyo or gurunī
Instrumental (third)	guruniyā	gurunīhi or gurunībhi
Dative (fourth)	guruniyā	gurunīnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	guruniyā	gurunīhi or gurunībhi
Genitive (sixth)	guruniyā	gurunīnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	guruniyā or guruniyaṃ	gurunīsu
Vocative (calling)	guruni	guruniyo or gurunī

Declension table of "guru" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	gurūni or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	gurūni or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurūni or gurū

Noun

guru m

1. teacher (clarification of this definition is needed)

Declension

Declension table of "guru" (masculine)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	guru	guravo or gurū
Accusative (second)	guruṃ	guravo or gurū
Instrumental (third)	gurunā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Dative (fourth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Ablative (fifth)	gurusmā or gurumhā	gurūhi or gurūbhi
Genitive (sixth)	gurussa or guruno	gurūnaṃ
Locative (seventh)	gurusmiṃ or gurumhi	gurūsu
Vocative (calling)	guru	gurave or guravo

References

Pali Text Society (1921–1925) “guru”, in Pali-English Dictionary‎, London: Chipstead

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Polish

Etymology

From Sanskrit गुरु (gurú).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡu.ru/

Noun

guru m pers (indeclinable)

1. guru

Further reading

• Template:R:PWN

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Portuguese

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Sanskrit गुरु (gurú, “venerable, respectable”), originally "heavy", from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡu.ˈɾu/
• Hyphenation: gu‧ru
• Rhymes: -u

Noun

guru m (plural s)

1. guru (spiritual teacher)

Noun

guru m or f (plural s)

1. guru (advisor, mentor)

Related terms

• baro-
• grave

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Serbo-Croatian

Noun

gȕru m (Cyrillic spelling гу̏ру)

1. guru

Declension

Declension of guru

	singular	plural
nominative	gȕru	gurui
genitive	gȕrua	gurua
dative	guruu	guruima
accusative	gurua	gurue
vocative	guruu	gurui
locative	guruu	guruima
instrumental	guruom	guruima

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Slovak

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Hindi गुरू (gurū) / (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Urdu گرو (guru), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “venerable, respectable”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡu.ru/

Noun

guru m (genitive singular gurua, nominative plural guruovia, genitive plural guruov, declension pattern of chlap)

1. guru

Declension

Declension of guru

	singular	plural
nominative	guru	guruovia
genitive	gurua	guruov
dative	guruovi	guruom
accusative	gurua	guruov
locative	guruovi	guruoch
instrumental	guruom	guruami

References

• “guru”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

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Swahili

Etymology

From Hindi गुड़ (guṛ, “jaggery”).

Noun

guru

1. Only used in sukari guru (“jaggery”)

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Swedish

Etymology

From Hindi गुरू (gurū), from Sanskrit गुरु (guru, “heavy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡʉ̟ːrɵ/
• Rhymes: -ʉːrɵ

Noun

guru c

1. guru

Declension

Declension of guru
	Singular		Plural
	Indefinite	Definite	Indefinite	Definite
Nominative	guru	gurun	gurur, guruer, gurus	gururna, guruernas
Genitive	gurus	guruns	gururs, guruers, gurus	gururnas, guruernas

References

• guru in Svensk ordbok (SO)