Entries | Boie'nen (Old Buhi Language) Living Dictionary

Entries

manokmanok— airborne embers, also known as firebrands; burning pieces of wood or vegetation that can travel through the air during a wildfire
baxdek— fine-mucky mud generally found in waterlogged lands as at the bottom of waterbodies such as ponds, lakes and stagnant or slow-flowing streams, rivers, ditches and the like; too wet and muddy to be easily walked on; marshy.
singsing— finger ring and anything of similar form and function
baxabag— horizontal, crossbar, beam-like object
dele’dele’— refers to the intentional act of persistently annoying or provoking someone, often through repeated mimicry, teasing, or prodding on sensitive topics, despite knowing it causes discomfort.
ex-ex— muscular fatigue; body ache; muscle soreness
e-tay— To stretch, hang, or suspend a line, cord, rope, wire, or similar flexible object between two raised or separated points. Used especially of installing a clothesline by fastening its two ends to posts, trees, walls, or other supports.
agi— walk
samingkil— foot
inglew— headache
nagkaindele’— events, conditions or people incidentally getting together or in confluence
gorong-gotong— referring to abundance of fruit in cluster in a tree or prolific-fruit-bearing tree
mai’beg— thick, plentiful
tila’tila’— Shoe tongue: a flexible piece of material under the laces of a shoe.
toog— to run through the hole of things meant to be strung together or similarly by using a skewer to pierce through food items etc.
talak— patch for mending clothes, fabrics and similar materials
kolabot— the hard, fibrous core of a boil, often embedded in the flesh and attached to the center, which must be carefully expelled for relief and healing. This word captures the idea of a stubborn, compact mass that needs to be removed for the boil to properly drain and recover.
talingngegngeg— ear; an emphatic or expressive synonym of talinga; by extension, a state of being “all ears” or fully attentive to what is being heard.
ay-enga’— expression of heartfelt empathy, awe or wonderment synonymous to:”dear god”, “oh wow”, “amazing”
manok— a domestic fowl kept for their meat or eggs; chicken
inmay— ferment, natural pickling or wild fermentation
bongbong— water vessel made of a long bamboo culm with the bottom node intact and the rest above broken to receive more water
inom-en— something to drink, any form of liquid swallowed to quench thirst or for nourishment
sapew— the top surface of on object or anything put on top of something
angngeg-angeg— pubic mound
aninipet— firefly
katax— A noun referring to a gap or separation between objects, such as:• Floor planks or wall boards that have shifted or separated• Delaminated veneer or similar materials that have peeled apart
terek— Synonymous with "marengdeng" except that it could be just a casual or absentminded gaze.
tirik— Refers to the act of spinning on its axis, describing rotational motion without translational movement.
mangrima-rima— feeling of unease or revulsion with objects, places or people who are filthy or obnoxiously foul smelling
se’nad— to place or rest something, such as a pot, on a stable surface area, often to ensure balance or safety
rori— cicada, a type of insect known for its distinctive sound
pogong— The act of putting one's hand or both hands over the mouth, either one's own or someone else's, often to prevent speaking or making a sound
dyan— there
ping-gan— dining plates particularly the breakable china
se’nan— to cover
exa’— To sit on an elevated object designed for sitting, such as a chair, bench, or stool, with the body supported by the buttocks and the legs hanging freely from the knees or with the feet resting on a lower surface.
imoy— monkey
kalayo— fire
ik-ik— yelp, high-pitched cry often indicating pain, surprise, or excitement in animals, especially dogs; yip, a sharp, high-pitched sound, often associated with small dogs or animals in distress.
kiray— eyebrow
wakeg— saliva uncontrollably falling or oozing from the mouth
binaliso’so’— Describes a triangular shape, associated to the shape of the cooked delicacy (baliso’so’) or the banana-leaf cone (binaliso’so’).
tigbas— hack with a large knife such as a machete
agin— child, offspring
tawtod— the back part of the body of an animal, human or other similar creatures
laygay— deliberately slowing work for self-serving gain
talangeb— bamboo box put in a body of water with top door or trapdoor on its side used for penning live fish or catching them
to-og— stiff; referring particularly to the body and its parts
pi-pi’— vagina, refers mainly to those belonging to young girls
birik— to turn, twirl, spin, spin, orbit around, change direction
pababa— water-buffalo drawn sledge made of wood or bamboo
tororan— large food-serving or communal-eating tray
tosik— to disturb or irritate by persistent acts, such as with petty quarrels or persecutions; pecking on an underdog particularly amongst chickens and other fowls
amak— light or set on fire
e-mey— steamed rice ready for eating
sorog-sorog— join forces; gang up; band together
to-od— to believe; to accept as true.
goronggorong— a group of people, animals, or objects gathered or clustered together, often in a disorganized or chaotic manner
saxag— nest made by birds in the wild
Katon Boie’nen— The standardized literacy and orthographic system developed for reading, writing, and teaching the Boie’nen language. It establishes the official conventions governing the Boie’nen alphabet, spelling, pronunciation, phonemic representation, and writing practices, serving as the pedagogical foundation for literacy, language documentation, and intergenerational transmission.
ga-od— oar
a-abxan— wooden weaving loom
karamag— work extra time especially over the night; rush work; overtime work
omeyaw— shout
iras— to divide; portion of share
agina— expression used to cajole someone to go
kopotkopot— limiting movement or trashing and buckling around in a tight inclosed space
panosonan— accept and allow (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive) to continue:
amwadi— this
kame’— a punitive flick or strike of the marble against the loser's knuckles, serving as a symbolic reset and reminder of the karame’an game's stakes.
pibasol— to blame them (ongoing or general action)
ba-ak— split
dapit— funeral procession
{Ii}— sixth letter in the Boie’nen alphabets:
deng-get
i-ros— to scoop newly-cooked rice from its cooking vessel to serve it for eating; the physical act of transferring cooked rice from its cooking container to a serving dish or individual plates, often using a scoop or spoon.
thunder
ima’— dirt in the skin pleats of the neck, armpit, behind the elbow or knee forming like a necklace on especially unwashed children
tiwi’— Describes images or objects that are not aesthetically horizontal or aligned, such as lips that droop on one side; describes a lack of symmetry or alignment.
songkaan— Sonka Board: A wooden board with 2 rows of 7 small "house" pits and 2 larger "head" pits (one for each player), used for strategic shell distribution and capture gameplay called “sonka”
polot
[-ta]— The Boie’nen morpheme /ta/ is polysemous, functioning as a bound suffix indicating possession or relationship, a free conjunction introducing a subordinate clause to express reason or cause, and an interjection (ta’ or ata’) with a moraic-okina glottal stop for emphasis, admonition, or warning. Its pronunciation and role depend on context and the presence of the glottal-stops Okina ( ’ ) or Bangtere’ ( - ).
maiwas— Wide, characterized by the prefix "ma-" indicating a characteristic of breadth.
gelgel— slice or the back-and-forth action of slicing
kasitas— Emperor’s Candlestick; Candle Bush; Ringworm Bush
ikkey— an awkward or uncomfortable situation, encounter, or feeling, whether physical or emotional.
po-ot— (root word) sticky or plant sap
magono— to do what?; what will someone do?; what is someone going to do?
z sandbox
gotok— germinating paddy seeds
paxad— palm of the hand
Boie’— Buhi
(mga)— a plural marker (often considered a determiner or article) used to indicate plurality of the noun it precedes. It doesn't have a direct English equivalent but roughly translates to "some" or "the various”.
sagwan— handheld paddle for rowing that is not attached to the boat
talang— describes the act of making a mistake or handling something poorly, often resulting in an undesirable outcome
gira’— a footprint or any visible trace left by the movement of people, animals, or objects, such as snakes, cars, or other vehicles, serving as a mark or sign of passage. Encompasses various types of marks or traces left by different entities, serving as indicators of movement or presence.
balawbagaw— describes a person or action characterized by loitering, lingering, or obstructing others' legitimate activities, often in an annoying or bothersome manner.
nangata’ata’na
inda— don’t know,
pagoyod— A traditional Boie'nen contraption used for transporting heavy loads, particularly long logs, consisting of two long poles with two cross-poles bound across them for added stability and strength. The load is secured over the cross-poles, reducing the surface area touching the ground, and is typically pulled by a carabao or other draft animal.
ramat— To deteriorate, weaken, or fray (natural fibers, ropes, fabric); Describes loss of strength due to age, wear, or exposure to corrosive agents (weather, chemicals, etc.
opa’— the act of expelling or spitting out objects out of the mouth (usually food); the spat out food
sabot— natural fiber such ones coming from abaca; a thread or filament from which a vegetable tissue, mineral substance, or textile is formed
wakwak— Split wide open, with edges pulled apart or separated.
panas
sibnek— the sensation or feeling of being tickled; the act of feeling ticklish or experiencing tickling.
parek— heavy or thick viscosity of liquid such as that of a pure coconuts milk that is undiluted with water so it is denser compared the the ones diluted with water
imat— to be watchful and prepared for potential dangers or risks, taking proactive measures to mitigate them
siboyas
ek-mex— stale, lost crispiness (of food like crackers)
pered— stunted; having been prevented from growing or developing properly.
magkanap— to crawl
ipno’an— to top off( to add a small amount of something, such as water, fuel or food to a container or plate that is already partially full, in order to bring it up to a desired level or to prevent it from running out
bagabina-akabonga— An idiomatic expression meaning an exact duplicate or identical copy, often describing someone or something that closely resembles another; deadringer
solog— rooster
kenken— shrinkage of fabrics and items made from this such as clothing and others
ragtas— complete destruction or removal of something; dismantle, demolish
limonsito— Philippine lime/lemon
se-en-se-en— Stacked or layered; describes objects placed one on top of another in an orderly or compact manner, emphasizing a sequential or overlapping arrangement.
tindeg— stand
adto— there or that; refers to things that are not immediately touchable to the speaker up to infinitely-proximate things or places
totong— burnt, charred
[omin-]— Serves as an infix or prefix that primarily signals a completed or finished action, aligning with past tense usage, while also emphasizing the role of the agent (the doer or performer) in the sentence.
ipa’an— to ambush, waylay
teba’¹— to harvest a banana bunch (sapad/bolig), involving cutting and controlled handling of the cluster
kalabidong— Philippine Flying Fox
sapgid— action that involves lightly touching or grazing someone or something, often unintentionally, or grazing a target. • Possible translations: graze, brush against, lightly touch, or scrape.
bini’— seeds that are carefully chosen and reserved for planting new crop particularly of rice, corn, legumes and the like
teken— A long, slender pole, usually of bamboo, used to extend a person’s reach in performing tasks beyond normal arm’s length. Typically used for poking, pushing, striking, lifting, retrieving, punting, or harvesting fruits and other elevated objects. Unlike /tokod:/, a /taken/ is an active working implement manipulated by the user rather than a stationary structural support. Core function: reach extension
tinoyo— Done intentionally or with a specific purpose in mind, often implying a deliberate or calculated action.
pildit— to press particularly a trigger such of a gun
[mi-]— prospective / imminent action prefix (almost always appears with -en); potential action prefix
oroagkoen— affluent
panegas— A log or any similar material such as bamboo designated or used for a specific purpose (as a pillar or post).
bakilid
paxa’pa’— frond, coconut frond particularly; the leaf or leaflike part of a large palm plant
karagkadag— rickety; shaky; wobbly; unsteady
orog— especially; particularly; more so; above all
[nakaka-]— is able to • can regularly • is capable of
iraya / Iraya— Upstream; upriver; toward the source or higher course of a river or stream.
owonan— pillow; headrest; place where the head rests.
riparo
sogno’— physical connection To join, connect, attach, or add one length, piece, or section to another so that the combined object continues beyond its former end. Used especially of relatively long or extendable materials, such as:
aro’an— A spawning female snakehead or mudfish (Channa striata), is a threatened species in Lake Buhi, Philippines. This species, also known as "talosog" was once abundant in the lake but now faces significant threats due to various human activities and environmental changes.
lopis— refers to a type of strong, durable tie made from the abaca plant. Specifically, it is made by dividing the strips obtained from the larger binaknis (see:baknis) into finger-width strips, which are then dried to produce a robust and flexible binding material or plant-derived cordage with a distinctive leathery texture and a range of dark brown hues.
la’gok— To gulp or chug liquid drinks, often quickly or in large quantities; highlights the manner of drinking, emphasizing speed or volume.
mitora’yogon— prospective) about to urinate; on the verge of squirting.
isoso’wot— wearable, apparrel; something to wear or about to be worn
leneb
Pominaoli‘ kami kasoodma’.— We (excluding you) returned yesterday.
paisi— Notice; advisory; announcement; informational directive.
tosar— haircut
sogot— tease; make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way
talbo— the effect the wind makes in blowing lighter items away
alenalen
saxeng— Resin; hardened tree sap. The dried, solidified aromatic resin naturally exuded by certain trees, especially the pili tree (Canarium ovatum), after exposure to air. Traditionally collected as a valuable forest product and widely used as a raw material in incense, varnishes, adhesives, and particularly the perfume industry. Unlike po-ot, which refers to fresh, sticky flowing sap, saxeng denotes the sap after it has cured or hardened into resin.
kolalapnit— fruit bat
boradol— A kite; a lightweight, often colorful object flown in the wind, typically made of fabric or paper stretched typically over a light bamboo frame.
so-ot
babaxyan— chosen land area or plot ideal for building a permanent house on
karame’an— traditional Boie’nen boys’ game name derived from the kame’-punishment ritual as a whole, encompassing the setup, flicks, and social aftermath, highlighting the communal aspect of the game.
pangpang— shoreline
sirob— (Singe), a cooking technique where food is quickly exposed to high heat, often to sear or brown the surface; singe
takad— to serve or give scoop-able items, particularly food; to measure the volume of such items using a measuring cup or similar
ita-as— To raise, lift, or elevate something (physical or abstract), such as raising one's hand, bringing something upstairs, increasing quality, or proposing a price increase.
sangday— decussate snuggle; describes wrapping arms or legs around someone or something in a crossed or entwined manner while lying down often in bed, conveying a sense of close, intimate contact
paa’— thirst
salasala— To weave or plait coconut frond leaves together, typically after splitting the frond lengthwise along its main stalk, to create a durable and flexible panel or sheet used for various purposes such as roofing, wall shingles, or other forms of traditional construction.
dogkol— To poke or jab gently with a long, blunt object, often in a non-violent or casual manner.
tariktik— Luzon hornbill
Bina’no ninyo kami— You (pl. ) called us .
Yamada, Yukihiro— Professor Yukihiro Yamada authored the very-first known published-scholarly study of the Boie’nen language in 1972. It was titled “A Buhi Bikol Vocabulary” consisting of 513 lexemes published in the Bulletin of the Faculty of Education, Kochi University, No. 24, Series 1
giyey— midrib; the main stem that supports the individual leaflets that attaches it in the coconut frond.
getel— A finger-mounted harvesting knife used for cutting mature rice panicles individually during harvest.
[-i]— patient-oriented suffix marking a specific affected portion, selected target, recipient, or directed endpoint of an action, often with a partial or selective interpretation.
gasgas— various actions involving friction, rubbing, or contact between surfaces, resulting in damage, marks, or removal of material.; scuff; scrape; abrade
la-om— base word for hope
pekpek— strike
biledbiked— to move with an awkward, twisting motion, often due to discomfort, embarrassment, or anxiety.
konday
lemlem— overcast or cloudy-sky condition blocking sunlight
kagting— Describes thoroughly seasoned bamboo, wood, or shell that has achieved maximum density and stability through drying/aging. It is warp-resistant and, when struck, emits a clear, resonant, bell-like tone. The term is onomatopoeic, evoking bagting “bell toll,” and is used by artisans to grade material suitable for instruments, fine carpentry, and structural use.
minakelpe’— Describes someone's characteristic or predisposition to cower or an action of cowering that occurred in the past.
iwaes— A feeling of physical or emotional relief produced by release from pressure, confinement, crowding, obstruction, or burden; regained breathing room or freedom of movement. /. 1. Physical relief after leaving a cramped, hot, crowded, or restrictive place.
teyan— belly
[pa-]— Service-Seeking / Recipient Action Indicates receiving, obtaining, or undergoing a service.
manenenged— “about”, “regarding," "pertaining to," or "with regard to”.
sara’— to separate liquid from solids by straining or sieving, often to extract a clear liquid or remove pulp.
lodog— general term for a small, rounded swelling or raised bump on the skin.
i’beg— thickness: the distance between two opposite surfaces of an object, typically measured in units such as inches, millimeters, or centimeters.
samped— this is a derogatory term referring to a non-blood related or non-immediate-family member residing in a family abode or who have joined as an extended family member
biga’— inedible wild taro due to high oxalic content
pinakelpe’— Describes an action where someone was made to cower, emphasizing the undergoer or patient role.
ing-ing— speaking quietly or privately with someone (often in someone else’s ear), in a gentle or intimate manner
baktas— to travel on foot on railways or difficult terrain
olisa— due to
raging
malinew— refers to the inherent quality of certain root crops or starchy vegetables that remain unpalatable when cooked due to their raspy, resistant texture and unyielding firmness, which is not alleviated by cooking.
bayawas— guava

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