tutuli
tutulî with stress marks
earwax
Usage Note
Tutuli is the standard Tagalog term for earwax (cerumen). It is used in everyday health conversations and is neither clinical nor vulgar. Parents commonly use the word when cleaning children's ears, and it appears in hygiene instruction materials.
Examples
" Marami akong tutuli. "
Natural Translation
I have a lot of earwax.
Literal Translation
Many I earwax.
" Kailangan mong linisin ang iyong tutuli. "
Natural Translation
You need to clean your earwax.
Literal Translation
Need you to clean the your earwax.
" Sinabi ng doktor na hindi dapat tanggalin ang tutuli gamit ang cotton bud dahil maaaring masaktan ang tainga. "
Natural Translation
The doctor said you shouldn't dig out earwax with a cotton bud because it can hurt the ear.
Literal Translation
Said of-the doctor that not should be-removed the earwax using the cotton bud because can be-hurt the ear.
Tagalog builds thousands of words from a few hundred roots.
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