butete
butetê with stress marks
tadpole; big stomach
Usage Note
Butete primarily refers to a tadpole, the larval stage of a frog. Its secondary meaning — a protruding or enlarged belly — is used colloquially and often affectionately to describe a child with a round stomach. It can also describe a pufferfish due to shape similarity.
Examples
" May butete sa ilog. "
Natural Translation
There are tadpoles in the river.
Literal Translation
Have tadpole in-the river.
" Maraming butete sa ilog pagkatapos ng ulan. "
Natural Translation
There are many tadpoles in the river after the rain.
Literal Translation
Many tadpoles in-the river after the rain.
" Tuwang-tuwa ang mga bata habang hinuhuli ang mga butete sa sapa, hindi alintana ang putik na dumikit sa kanilang mga binti. "
Natural Translation
The children were overjoyed while catching tadpoles in the stream, paying no mind to the mud sticking to their legs.
Literal Translation
Overjoyed the children while catching the tadpoles in-the stream, not minding the mud that stuck on their legs.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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