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puwing

púwing with stress marks

speck of foreign matter in the eye

noun PU-wing Native origin Less Common

Usage Note

Puwing is a precise, everyday noun referring specifically to a speck of dust, sand, or other foreign particle lodged in the eye and causing irritation. It has no close synonym in Tagalog and is extremely common in informal speech whenever eye irritation is described.

Examples

Beginner

" May puwing sa mata ko. "

Natural Translation

There's a speck in my eye.

Literal Translation

Has speck in eye my.

Intermediate

" Napaluha sila dahil sa puwing sa mata. "

Natural Translation

They teared up because of a speck in the eye.

Literal Translation

Teared-up they because of speck in eye.

Advanced

" Huwag mong kuskusin ang mata kapag may puwing, dahil baka lalo mo lang itong masugatan sa halip na matanggal. "

Natural Translation

Don't rub your eye when there's a speck in it, because you might just injure it more instead of getting it out.

Literal Translation

Don't you rub the eye when has speck, because maybe more you only it injure instead of removed.

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