yawa (yah-wah)
What does yawa (yah-wah) mean? yawa (yah-wah) is a Filipino strong that translates to “devil / damn” in English.
Literal Translation
devil / demon
Meaning & Usage
"devil / damn"
A Cebuano/Visayan word for Devil, heavily absorbed into national slang.
Examples in the Wild
Yawa! Ang sakit! (Damn/Devil! It hurts!)
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Around religious or conservative communities
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Used as an exclamation of extreme surprise, anger, or frustration.
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An uncircumcised penis or exposed glans.
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“crazy / retarded / fool”
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kantot (kan-tot)
“to fuck / a fuck”
The vulgar verb for sexual intercourse.
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“fuck”
Visayan word for sexual intercourse, adopted everywhere.
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“you're so fucking dumb”
Focusing the 'bobo' directly on the listener.
salot (sah-lot)
“menace / plague”
A plague upon society.
hinayupak (hee-nah-yoo-pak)
“bastard / son of a bitch”
A heavy, archaic intensification of 'hayop' (animal).