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Etymology data from Wiktionary via Wiktextract (CC BY-SA 4.0). Chinese character data from the 說文解字, the Taiwan MOE 國語辭典簡編本 (CC BY-ND 3.0 TW) and HSK/TOCFL lists.

Explanations are written by a local model (gemma4) and only published after a verification pass against the cited sources. How it works.

English

so

/səʊ/
As a result; for that reason; therefore; because of this; due to this.

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    Origin

    Etymology 1

    From Middle English so, swo, zuo, swa, swe, from Old English swā, swǣ, swē (“so, as, the same, such, that”), from Proto-West Germanic *swā, from Proto-Germanic *swa, *swē (“so”), from Proto-Indo-European *swē, *swō (reflexive pronomial stem). Cognate with Scots sae (“so”), Saterland Frisian so (“so”), West Frisian sa (“so”), Dutch zo (“so”), German Low German so (“so”), German so (“so”), Danish så (“so”), Norwegian Nynorsk so (“so”), Swedish så (“so, such that”), Faroese so (“so”), Icelandic svo (“so”), Old Latin suad (“so”), Albanian sa (“how much, so, as”), Ancient Greek ὡς (hōs, “as”), Urdu سو (sō, “hence”).

    Etymology 3

    Shortened from sol, to make it an open syllable for uniformity with the rest of the scale, from Glover's solmization, from Middle English sol (“fifth degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”), Italian sol in the solmization of Guido of Arezzo, from the first syllable of Latin solve (“wash away”) in the lyrics of the scale-ascending hymn Ut queant laxis by Paulus Deacon.

    Etymology 4

    Borrowed from Japanese 蘇 (so).

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishso “large tub, vat”
      • inheritedOld Englishswā
        • inheritedProto-West Germanic*swā
          • inheritedProto-Germanic*swa
            • derivedProto-Indo-European*swé “self”
    • inheritedMiddle Englishsol “fifth degree or note of Guido of Arezzo's hexachordal scales”
      • derivedItaliansol
        • derivedLatinsolve “wash away”
      • inheritedOld Englishsol “mud, mire, wet sand”
        • inheritedProto-Germanic*sulą “mud, spot”
    • borrowedJapanese蘇

    Related: Scots sae, Saterland Frisian so, West Frisian sa, Dutch zo, German Low German so, German so, Danish så, Norwegian Nynorsk so, Swedish så, Faroese so, Icelandic svo, Old Latin suad, Albanian sa, Ancient Greek ὡς, Urdu سو

    Words built on it: so that, so-so, such, say-so, so much so, so-called, oh so

    Meanings

    conj
    1. As a result; for that reason; therefore; because of this; due to this.
    2. Used to connect previous conversation or events to the following question.
    3. Used to introduce a rhetorical question.
    4. Provided that; on condition that; as long as.
    adv
    1. To the (explicitly stated) extent.
    2. To the (implied) extent.
    3. Very (positive or negative clause).
    4. Very much.
    5. at all (negative clause).
    6. In the same manner or to the same extent as aforementioned; likewise, also.
    adj
    1. Agreeing with actual facts or reality; true.
    2. In that state or manner; with that attribute. A proadjective that replaces the aforementioned adjective phrase.
    3. Homosexual.
    intj
    1. Used after a pause for thought to introduce a new topic, question or story, or a new thought or question in continuation of an existing topic.
    2. Used as a question to ask for further explanation of something said, often rhetorically or in a dismissive or impolite manner.
    3. Used as a meaningless filler word to begin a response to a question.
    4. Be as you are; stand still; used especially to cows; also used by sailors.

    Sources

    • Wiktionary (via Wiktextract / kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
    • Wiktionary: so