zou

Zou is a name that can refer to several different topics. In Chinese contexts, Zou is the romanization of more than one surname, most notably 邹 and 邹. These surnames are distinct in origin but share the same Mandarin pronunciation, and they are common among Chinese people both in China and in overseas communities. The surname is carried by individuals across a wide range of fields, including politics, science, and culture.

Zou is also used to refer to the Zou (Zo) people, a Naga-speaking ethnic group in parts of Northeast India and nearby regions. The Zo people comprise several subgroups with their own languages and cultural practices, and they maintain a distinct social and ceremonial life within the broader Naga ethno-cultural landscape. The spelling Zou is one of several transliterations used in English-language sources; other common variants include Zo and Zu.

In addition to these senses, the word Zou can appear in place names, transliterations in other languages, and in media or literature where it represents a different term or name depending on context. Because of these multiple uses, the meaning of Zou is typically clarified through accompanying regional, linguistic, or cultural cues.