From Proto-Tai *ŋwɯːᴬ (“snake”). Cognate with Thai งู (nguu), Northern Thai ᨦᩪ, Lao ງູ (ngū), Lü ᦇᦴ (nguu), Tai Dam ꪉꪴ, Shan ငူး (ngúu), Ahom 𑜂𑜥 (nguu), Zhuang ngwz, Saek งั๊ว.
ᥒᥧᥰ (ngu2) (old orthography ᥒᥧ¨)