English word origin

Etymology of gau

From either Hokkien 厚 (kāu, “thick”) or Teochew 厚 (gao⁶, “thick”), influenced in spelling by Mandarin Pinyin.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

adj

Strong (used as a modifier after kopi (“coffee”)). · Thick; having a strong or overwhelming flavour.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From either Hokkien 厚 (kāu, “thick”) or Teochew 厚 (gao⁶, “thick”), influenced in spelling by Mandarin Pinyin.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention厚nan-hbl · thick
Borrowed-form mention厚nan-tws · thick

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "Kopi (drink)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nan-hbl",
        "3": "厚",
        "tr": "kāu",
        "t": "thick"
      },
      "expansion": "Hokkien 厚 (kāu, “thick”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "sup",
      "args": {
        "1": "6"
      },
      "expansion": "⁶"
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "nan-tws",
        "3": "厚",
        "tr": "gao⁶",
        "t": "thick"
      },
      "expansion": "Teochew 厚 (gao⁶, “thick”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "ncog",
      "args": {
        "1": "cmn",
        "2": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Mandarin"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "厚",
      "厚#Hokkien"
    ],
    [
      "厚",
      "厚#Teochew"
    ],
    [
      "Pinyin",
      "Pinyin"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Strong (used as a modifier after kopi (“coffee”)).",
        "Thick; having a strong or overwhelming flavour."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "colloquial",
        "not-comparable",
        "broadly",
        "uncommon"
      ],
      "recordId": "327fcc786caa0cd317d7cada10034429ca19e504c0517ead46be1d346c191e0d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "d951464da2d54ccac3f01bbc390d95a683b08dc0a4a1502c2384954265d9cb08",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 348539
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

District, region.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From German Gau, from Middle High German göu, gou, from Old High German gawi.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionGaude
Derivation mentiongöugmh
Derivation mentiongawigoh

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "de",
        "3": "Gau"
      },
      "expansion": "German Gau"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmh",
        "3": "göu"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German göu"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "goh",
        "3": "gawi"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German gawi"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Gau",
      "Gau#German"
    ],
    [
      "göu",
      "göu#Middle_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "gou",
      "gou#Middle_High_German"
    ],
    [
      "gawi",
      "gawi#Old_High_German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "District, region."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "1f13c59c053f34254ea73f4b3dee6044bcec1e7cf8d3e1be5d1bc001dfa0964c",
      "rawRecordSha256": "c8bf3c6965ec57492de9a5c41821b1afcbd033256a4a662271a34b211e3876b5",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 348541
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for gau →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Z2F1