kalisag
kaliság with stress marks
hair-standing due to fear/anger
Usage Note
Kalisag describes the physical sensation of hair standing on end triggered by intense fear, anger, or excitement — similar to goosebumps but specifically referring to raised body hair. It is used vividly in storytelling to convey the visceral, involuntary reaction to something frightening or thrilling.
Examples
" May kalisag ako sa takot. "
Natural Translation
My hair stood on end from fear.
Literal Translation
Has hair-standing I in fear.
" Ang kalisag ng balahibo ay dahil sa lamig. "
Natural Translation
The standing up of the hair is because of the cold.
Literal Translation
The hair-standing of hair is because in cold.
" Nang marinig namin ang kakaibang ingay sa madilim na pasilyo, biglang nagkaroon ng kalisag ang aming buong katawan. "
Natural Translation
When we heard the strange noise in the dark hallway, our whole body suddenly got goosebumps.
Literal Translation
When heard we the strange noise in dark hallway, suddenly had of hair-standing the our whole body.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
How Tagalog words workActor Focus Verbs
Related Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.

Tagalog Slang Guide: 20 Words You'll Hear on TikTok
Tagalog slang explained: lodi, petmalu, werpa, astig, chika and more. Decode Filipino TikTok comments, group chats, and pop culture with this practical guide.

Philippines Geography for Learners: Islands & Language
Philippines geography for Tagalog learners: 7,641 islands, three island groups, and the Southern Luzon heartland where the Tagalog language was born.

Languages of the Philippines: Tagalog, Cebuano, and More
Languages of the Philippines: one national language (Filipino) plus 180+ regional languages. Here's who speaks what, where, and why it matters to you.

How to Say Sorry in Tagalog: Patawad vs Pasensya
How to say sorry in Tagalog: patawad, pasensya na, and paumanhin compared on a simple severity-and-formality ladder so you pick the right word every time.