gantso
gántso with stress marks
hook; swindler
Usage Note
Gantso comes from Spanish gancho and primarily means a physical hook used to hang or catch things. The secondary informal meaning — a swindler or trickster — comes from the figurative image of someone who hooks unsuspecting victims, and both meanings are in active use in everyday Tagalog.
Examples
" Isabit mo sa gantso ang tuwalya. "
Natural Translation
Hang the towel on the hook.
Literal Translation
Hang you on hook the towel.
" Isang malaking gantso ang gamit nila. "
Natural Translation
They use one big hook.
Literal Translation
One big that hook the use they.
" Mag-ingat ka sa lalaking iyon dahil isa siyang gantso na nanloloko ng mga matatandang walang malay. "
Natural Translation
Be careful with that man because he is a swindler who cheats unsuspecting elderly people.
Literal Translation
Be-careful you with man that because one he swindler that cheats of the elderly that none aware.
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