Ma'anar ƙamus na lafazin kotu shine aikin neman so ko son wani, musamman da niyyar aure. Hakanan yana iya komawa ga aikin ƙoƙarin samun tagomashi ko goyon bayan wani, ko kuma hanyar neman wani abu mai ƙima ko ƙima. A cikin mahallin tarihi, yin zawarci yana nufin al’adun mazauni na al’ada da suka gabata kafin saduwa ta zamani, galibi suna haɗawa da tsari na ƙayyadaddun fahimtar abokin hulɗar soyayya ta hanyar tarurrukan chaperoned da ayyukan yarda da zamantakewa.