namu

See also: Appendix:Variations of "namu"

Languages (27)

English

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East Futuna • Fijian • Finnish • Futuna-Aniwa • Japanese • Korean • Latvian • Lithuanian • Manchu • Māori • Mele-Fila • Niuean • Pukapukan • Rakahanga-Manihiki • Rapa • Rarotongan • Samoan • Sikaiana • Tahitian • Tikopia • Tokelauan • Tongan • Tuamotuan • Tuvaluan • West Makian • West Uvean

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Page categories

English

Etymology

From Māori namu. Compare Malay nyamuk (“a mosquito”).

Noun

namu

1. A sandfly of the genus Austrosimulium.

East Futuna

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Fijian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito (small flying insect of the family Culicidae)

   E levu na namu e na yakavi.

   There are many mosquitoes in the evening.

   E dua na ikati ni namu e rawa ni vakamatetaka.

   One mosquito bite can cause illness.

2. (figurative, derogatory) pest, beggar, sponger (person who persistently begs or borrows)

   Qai namu sara ga ko koya.

   S/he is such a pest.

Derived terms

• ikati ni namu (“mosquito bite”)
• taunamu (“mosquito net”)

See also

• deqe (“dengue fever”)
• waqaqa (“filariasis”)

Etymology 2

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

Verb

namu (transitive namuta) (intransitive)

1. to bite hard, to chew fast, to gobble (to eat quickly and greedily)

   E namu tiko na kakana.

   S/he is gobbling the food.

2. (figurative) to exploit, to sponge off (to cunningly use someone else's money or resources)

   E dau namuta na nona itokani.

   S/he often exploits his/her friends.

Derived terms

• namunamu (“to chew and swallow noisily”)

References

• Gatty, Ronald (2009), “namu”, in Fijian–English Dictionary‎^[3], Suva, Fiji: Ronald Gatty, →ISBN, page 179

Finnish

Etymology

nam +‎ -u

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɑmu/, [ˈnɑ̝mu]
• Rhymes: -ɑmu
• Syllabification^(key): na‧mu
• Hyphenation^(key): na‧mu

Noun

namu

1. sweet, candy

   Synonym: nami

Declension

Inflection of namu (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		namu	namut
genitive		namun	namujen
partitive		namua	namuja
illative		namuun	namuihin
		singular	plural
nominative		namu	namut
accusative	nom.	namu	namut
	gen.	namun
genitive		namun	namujen
partitive		namua	namuja
inessive		namussa	namuissa
elative		namusta	namuista
illative		namuun	namuihin
adessive		namulla	namuilla
ablative		namulta	namuilta
allative		namulle	namuille
essive		namuna	namuina
translative		namuksi	namuiksi
abessive		namutta	namuitta
instructive		—	namuin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

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

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative namuni namuni accusative nom. namuni namuni gen. namuni genitive namuni namujeni partitive namuani namujani inessive namussani namuissani elative namustani namuistani illative namuuni namuihini adessive namullani namuillani ablative namultani namuiltani allative namulleni namuilleni essive namunani namuinani translative namukseni namuikseni abessive namuttani namuittani instructive — — comitative — namuineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative namusi namusi accusative nom. namusi namusi gen. namusi genitive namusi namujesi partitive namuasi namujasi inessive namussasi namuissasi elative namustasi namuistasi illative namuusi namuihisi adessive namullasi namuillasi ablative namultasi namuiltasi allative namullesi namuillesi essive namunasi namuinasi translative namuksesi namuiksesi abessive namuttasi namuittasi instructive — — comitative — namuinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative namumme namumme accusative nom. namumme namumme gen. namumme genitive namumme namujemme partitive namuamme namujamme inessive namussamme namuissamme elative namustamme namuistamme illative namuumme namuihimme adessive namullamme namuillamme ablative namultamme namuiltamme allative namullemme namuillemme essive namunamme namuinamme translative namuksemme namuiksemme abessive namuttamme namuittamme instructive — — comitative — namuinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative namunne namunne accusative nom. namunne namunne gen. namunne genitive namunne namujenne partitive namuanne namujanne inessive namussanne namuissanne elative namustanne namuistanne illative namuunne namuihinne adessive namullanne namuillanne ablative namultanne namuiltanne allative namullenne namuillenne essive namunanne namuinanne translative namuksenne namuiksenne abessive namuttanne namuittanne instructive — — comitative — namuinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative namunsa namunsa accusative nom. namunsa namunsa gen. namunsa genitive namunsa namujensa partitive namuaan namuansa namujaan namujansa inessive namussaan namussansa namuissaan namuissansa elative namustaan namustansa namuistaan namuistansa illative namuunsa namuihinsa adessive namullaan namullansa namuillaan namuillansa ablative namultaan namultansa namuiltaan namuiltansa allative namulleen namullensa namuilleen namuillensa essive namunaan namunansa namuinaan namuinansa translative namukseen namuksensa namuikseen namuiksensa abessive namuttaan namuttansa namuittaan namuittansa instructive — — comitative — namuineen namuinensa

Derived terms

• namunen

compounds

• namupala
• namusetä

Further reading

• “namu”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[4] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 3 July 2023

Anagrams

• Manu, manu, maun, muna

Futuna-Aniwa

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. (Aniwa) mosquito

References

• Capell, Arthur (1984), “namu”, in Futuna-Aniwa dictionary, with grammatical introduction, Canberra: Pacific Linguistics, Australian National University, →ISBN, page 135

Japanese

Romanization

namu

1. Rōmaji transcription of なむ

Korean

Noun

namu • (namu)

1. romanization of 나무 (“wood, tree”)

Latvian

Noun

namu m

1. inflection of nams:
   1. accusative/instrumental singular
   2. genitive plural

Lithuanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [nɐˈmʊ]
• Rhymes: -ʊ
• Syllabification: na‧mù

Noun

namu m

1. instrumental singular of namas

Manchu

Romanization

namu

1. romanization of ᠨᠠᠮᡠ

Māori

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnamu/ [ˈnɐmʉ]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk. Cognates include Rarotongan namu (“mosquito”) and Tahitian namu, ramu (“sandfly, midge”).

Noun

namu

1. sandfly of the genus Austrosimulium.

Descendants

• → English: namu

Derived terms

• namu katipo
• namunamu
• nanamu
• whakanamunamu

Etymology 2

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *namu. Cognates include Tahitian ninamu.

Adjective

namu

1. (obsolete) blue-green, grue

Related terms

• kākāriki

Derived terms

• pounamu

Further reading

• Williams, Herbert William (1917), “namu”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, page 253
• John C. Moorfield (2011), “namu”, in Te Aka: Māori–English, English–Māori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, →ISBN

Mele-Fila

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Niuean

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

References

• Wolfgang B. Sperlich, editor (1997), Tohi Vagahau Niue—Niue Language Dictionary‎^[5], Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, page 239

Pukapukan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Further reading

• Te Pukamuna | Pukapuka Dictionary

Rakahanga-Manihiki

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Rapa

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Rarotongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito, gnat, midge

Samoan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

References

• Milner, G.B. (1993), Samoan Dictionary, Auckland: Polynesian Press, →ISBN, page 154

Sikaiana

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Tahitian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

References

• Lemaître, Yves (1995), Lexique du tahitien contemporain [Current Tahitian lexicon]‎^[6] (in French), Paris: Éditions de l'Orstom, →ISBN
• “namu” in Dictionnaire en ligne Tahitien/Français (Online Tahitian–French Dictionary), by the Tahitian Academy.

Tikopia

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Tokelauan

Te namu.

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk. Cognates include Māori namu and Samoan namu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈna.mu]
• Hyphenation: na‧mu

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[7], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 248

Tongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /na.mu/

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

Tuamotuan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. insect
2. mosquito

Tuvaluan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito

West Makian

Etymology

Cognate with Ternate namo (“bird, chicken”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈn̪a.mu/

Noun

namu

1. bird

   Synonym: haiwan

2. chicken

References

• Clemens Voorhoeve (1982), The Makian languages and their neighbours‎^[8], Pacific linguistics

West Uvean

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *namu, from Proto-Central Pacific *ñamu, from Proto-Oceanic *ñamuk, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ñamuk.

Noun

namu

1. mosquito