Skip to content

karayom

karáyom with stress marks

needle

noun ka-RA-yom Native origin Less Common

Usage Note

Karayom is the native Tagalog word for a sewing needle, appearing in proverbs and everyday speech relating to sewing, tailoring, and craftsmanship. It also covers injection needles in medical contexts alongside the borrowed term syring.

Examples

Beginner

" Matalas ang karayom. "

Natural Translation

The needle is sharp.

Literal Translation

Sharp the needle.

Intermediate

" Hinahanap niya ang karayom na nahulog sa sahig. "

Natural Translation

He/She is looking for the needle that fell on the floor.

Literal Translation

Searching he/she the needle that fell on-the floor.

Advanced

" Mahirap ipasok ang sinulid sa karayom kapag malabo na ang mata ng matandang mananahi. "

Natural Translation

It is hard to put the thread through the needle when the old tailor's eyes are already blurry.

Literal Translation

Hard to-insert the thread in needle when blurry already the eye of old tailor.

Free · iOS & Android

Take Tagalog with you

The full course, a 12,500-word dictionary, and flashcards that make every word stick — free to start on iOS and Android.

Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.

How Tagalog words work

Explore Tagalog by topic

Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.