hikab
hikáb with stress marks
yawn
Usage Note
Hikab is commonly used in its verb form, humikab, to describe the act of yawning when tired or bored. In Filipino culture, it is considered polite to cover your mouth with your hand when doing so in public.
Examples
" Malalim ang hikab niya. "
Natural Translation
His/Her yawn is deep.
Literal Translation
Deep the yawn his/her.
" Malalim ang kaniyang hikab. "
Natural Translation
His/Her yawn was deep.
Literal Translation
Deep the his/her yawn.
" Sa tindi ng pagod, hindi na niya napigilan ang sunod-sunod na hikab sa gitna ng pulong. "
Natural Translation
Out of sheer exhaustion, he/she could no longer hold back the repeated yawns in the middle of the meeting.
Literal Translation
In intensity of tiredness, not anymore he/she stopped the one-after-another yawn in middle of meeting.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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