kuntaw
kuntáw with stress marks
Muslim martial arts
Usage Note
Kuntaw is a traditional Filipino martial art with Chinese origins, practiced primarily by Muslim communities in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. It emphasizes strikes, joint locks, and weapons use, and is closely tied to cultural identity and self-defense traditions in the southern Philippines.
Examples
" Marunong siya ng kuntaw. "
Natural Translation
He knows kuntaw.
Literal Translation
Knows he of kuntaw.
" Ang kuntaw ay itinuturo sa mga kabataan bilang bahagi ng kanilang kultura. "
Natural Translation
Muslim martial arts is taught to the youth as part of their culture.
Literal Translation
The Muslim martial arts is-taught to-the youth as part of their culture.
" Bukod sa pagdedepensa sa sarili, itinuturing ng marami sa Mindanao ang kuntaw bilang mahalagang bahagi ng kanilang pagkakakilanlan. "
Natural Translation
Beyond self-defense, many in Mindanao regard kuntaw as an important part of their identity.
Literal Translation
Apart from defending the self, considered by-the many in Mindanao the kuntaw as important part of their identity.
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 workRelated Words
Explore Tagalog by topic
Free guides on grammar, vocabulary, and culture to take you past single-word lookups.
May vs Mayroon vs Meron: Have & There Is
May vs mayroon in Tagalog finally made simple: one rule decides which to use, plus how meron and wala fit the same have and there-is family.
Tagalog Verb Focus System Explained (It's Not Active vs. Passive)
The Tagalog verb focus system isn't active vs. passive. Learn actor focus, object focus, and more with clear examples that finally make it click.
Days of the Week and Months in Tagalog
The days of the week and months in Tagalog are Spanish loanwords. Learn all 7 days and 12 months with pronunciation, plus how to say dates and 'every Monday.'
Tagalog Greetings: How to Say Hello, Goodbye & Po/Opo
Master Tagalog greetings with pronunciation: kumusta, magandang umaga, po and opo polite forms, time-of-day phrases, and the mano po tradition.