Philippines Glossary

A

Adidas a witty wordplay of the famous shoe company, it is chicken feet barbecued over hot coals. it is commonly sold as street food and is usually dipped in vinegar.

Adobo Commonly dubbed as the Philippines' National Viand, Adobo is pork or chicken slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, and other spices.

Alé The term is used when addressing to an older woman.

B

Bagnet a Filipino specialty, it is pork belly that is sun-dried and then deep-fried to a crisp.

Bagoong a condiment made with fish or shrimp paste. it is very popular with Filipinos and is usually served with dished like kare-kare, or as a main ingredient.

Balut It's not an omelette neither a duck, it's something in between. Considered a delicacy in some parts of Asia, Balut is a nearly developed embryo that is boiled and then eaten in its shell. Tastes best with a pinch of salt and dunked in spicy vinegar.

Bangka is the undisputed king of the Philippine seas. It is a small, sleek wooden boat with bamboos on both sides to support it. It is sometimes powered by a small motor or by paddles.

B

barangay adopted from Spanish which also means barrio is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines known as village or district in English.

B

Barong Tagalog the national wear of the Filipino male, it is a topwear traditionally made with pineapple (pinya) threads.

Betamax In reference to the small rectangular videocassette tape, this street food is simply solidified pig or chicken blood skewered and then grilled.

Bibingka a rice cake very popular and eaten traditionally during the Christmas season, it is fluffy and moist - topped with slivers of cheese and salted eggs.

Bolnat a ritual of men (mumbaki) chanting songs for the beginning of the planting season.

Bolo a traditional Filipino sword, it was a popular weapon during the Spanish rebellions.

C

Carinderia the Philippine equivalent of a canteen, it serves mostly classic Filipino food at knock-down prices.

Chicharon it is a very popular snack and comfort food - usually pork meat or its innards that have been deep-fried until very crispy. it is usually dipped in vinegar.

F

Fishball A popular street food best served with sour or spicy sauce.

G

Gata a milky emulsion made from straining a mix of coconut flakes and hot water. it is an important ingredient in Philippine cuisine, especially in curries and the Bicol express.

H

Halu-Halo The traditional frozen delight, Halu-Halo is a medley of sweetened and preserved fruits topped with shaved ice and milk.

Hudhud it is recited and chanted during sowing and harvesting of rice even in funeral wakes. This oral tradition is practiced in the Mountain Province. It takes three to four days to recite the whole 40 or so chapters of the hudhud.

I

Indie Short for "independent"; Refers to artists or pieces of art that does not belong to the mainstream media, or is not commissioned by anyone else but the makers.

Isaw a common Filipino street food, it is pork or chicken gizzard grilled over hot coals, and usually dipped in vinegar.

J

Jeepney The peacock of all automobiles; Originally US military jeeps converted to public transport vehicle with a costume that would make drag queens green with envy.

Jose P. Rizal A Filipino national hero, known for his reforms during the Spanish colonial era.

K

Kadangyan an Ifugao term for rich.

Kakanin a term used to denote a wide variety of Filipino desserts based mainly on rice ingredients. Examples are sapin-sapin, bibingka, puto bumbong, biko and suman.

Kalesa A horse-drawn carriage basically, it was used as the primary means of transport especially by the elite during the Spanish era. Today, there are still some kalesas prancing on cities, especially when there is a historic site nearby.

Kare-Kare a Filipino specialty, it is oxtail and vegetables stewed in a lovely peanut sauce. it is perfect served with bagoong.

Kumusta? This means "How are you?" in English. "Kumusta?" is from the Spanish "¿Como Esta?," reminiscent of Filipinos' 300-year history under Spanish occupation. The expression is an automatic question Filipinos blurt out whenever they meet someone they known alon

Kwek-Kwek Also known as "Toknene", Kwek-kwek is a local street food. Boiled quail eggs are covered in a thick batter and deep-fried until bright orange and crispy. Food stalls usually offer spicy or sweet sauces to match.

L

Lechon The star of every Filipino feast, the term simply refers to a whole pig, cow, or chicken roasted in open fire until crispy.

M

Mabuhay! An expression Filipinos say whenever they celebrate or greet foreigners. It means "Long Live!"

Magandang umaga / gabi "Magandang umaga" and "Magandang gabi" respectively means "good morning" and "good night."

Mami A Filipino favorite of Chinese origins, the term refers to noodle soup with meat and vegetables.

Mamà / Manong A term used when addressing to an older man.

Mumbaki a native priest who performed the bolnat in Kiangan, Benguet.

P

Paalam the standard Filipino greeting when going away. it literally means "goodbye".

Padyak From the Tagalog term meaning "to kick"; A term referring to a bicycle with a sidecar attachment used for public transport.

Pagmamano A Filipino gesture of respect towards adults used in greeting them. The term refers to the act of leaning down to kiss or place one's forehead against the hand of an adult.

Palamig Refers to a range of street beverages. Usually sweet and of different flavors such as Buko Pandan, Pineapple, or Melon. Another variant consists of simple syrup (sugar and water) and sago.

Para Popularly used when commuting, the word is used when telling the driving to stop the vehicle so that one can get off.

Pares a popular stew made with pork or beef. it is soupy and usually spicy. it is mostly eaten as is or mixed with rice.

Patis it is a condiment known also as fish sauce. it is salty and is used mostly to add flavor to dishes.

Penoy the lesser known sister of the balut, it is a supposed balut whose embryo had not developed. it is commonly sold by balut vendors and is the choice of the not-so-adventurous.

Pinoy A colloquial or informal term that refers to a Filipino, or anything related to the Philippines.

Po/Opo words that are usually spoken within sentences whenever a Filipino speaks with an elder or someone with a higher rank. it is an utmost sign of respect.

P

puroks meaning zones is a subdivision of a barangay.

puroks meaning zones is a subdivision of a barangay.

S

Sabong One of the Filipinos' favorite pastime, the term simply means "cockfight".

Saklolo a term which literally translates to "help" in English.

S

sakups a term used to describe a district in Antique.

S

Salamat In Tagalog, the term simply means "thank you".

Sisig The famous beer buddy, sisig is finely chopped pig ears, snout and cheeks with onions and chilis that is served on hot plates. Best with a dash of calamansi juice and a half-cooked egg on top.

S

sitio a territorial enclave inside a barangay common in the rural areas.

S

Suman a popular rice delicacy made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk. it is peddled wrapped in leaves and is eaten dipped in sugar.

T

Taho a popular Filipino breakfast snack, it is soya mixed with arnibal (syrup) and sago(tapioca pearls).

Tricycle A motorcycle with a sidecar attachment.

Tunod a term pertaining to the planting season in the traditional rice cycle in Ifugao.