anak ng tokwa

Tagalog

Etymology

Minced oath of anak ng puta (literally “child of a whore”), the latter word replaced with tokwa (“tofu”), becoming literally, “child of tofu”.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˌnak naŋ ˈtokwa/, [ʔɐˌnak nɐn ˈtok.wɐ]
• Rhymes: -okwa
• Syllabification: a‧nak ng tok‧wa

Interjection

anák ng tokwa (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜈᜃ᜔ ᜈᜅ᜔ ᜆᜓᜃ᜔ᜏ)

1. (informal, minced oath) expression of annoyance

   Synonyms: anak ng puta, anak ng tipaklong, anak ng tupa

   • 2014, Kirsten Nimwey, The Explorers (Tagalog Edition), Kirsten Nimwey, →ISBN:

     “Anak ng tokwa Kenji! Pwede ba... 'Pag inisaisa ko pa sa 'yo ang lahat ng mga pinaggagagawa namin nu'n, marahil eh aabutin tayo rito ng isang linggong kuwentuhang wala namang kuwenta!” Taka si Kenji. “Sobra ka naman Shingue, kahit ...

     “Child of tofu, Kenji! Can you please?... 'When I go one by one about everything that we were doing before, we'd probably take a week of nonsense story-telling!” Kenji doubted. “You're too much, Shingue, even ...

   • 1990, Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Antolohiya ng mga nagwaging akda: 1980-1984:

     Anak ng tokwa naman 'to, at pati ako'y . . . Hindi, . . . hindi pare, talaga, . . . wala ' yon! Oy, Salvador, . . . matagal-tagal na rin kitang nakasama. Alam kong may problema ka kapag ganyang tatahi-tahimik ka at walang ganang kumain, . . . teka , ...

     This child of tofu, and even I . . . No, no buddy, really, . . . that's nothing! Hey, Salvador, . . . I was with you for quite a long time. I know you have a problem when you're like that, quiet and without an appetite, . . . wait,...

   • 2005, Lualhati Bautista, Desisyon, →ISBN:

     "Anak ng tokwa!" Saglit na inisip niyang tawagan si Juliet at pabalikin. Pero by this time, nakapasok na sa EDSA ang taksi. Malayo pa ang iikutan para makabalik uli. Hindi na worth it. Lumipad na ang isip niya at nakalimutan niyang kawayan ...

     "Child of tofu!" For a moment, he thought to call Juliet and ask her to return. But by this time, the taxi has entered EDSA. The turnaround would be far in order to go back again. It's not worth it. His thoughts flew by and forgot to wave ...