Body Parts

1. Lawas

   Body

   Usage

   The whole body. "Sakit ang akong lawas" means "my body aches" — useful when you cannot localize the pain

2. Ulo

   Head

   Usage

   Show it while pointing at your head. "Nasakitan ko sa ulo" means "I have a headache"

3. Buhok

   Hair

   Usage

   Used at a barber or salon. The same word covers body hair, so point at your head while showing it

4. Nawong

   Face

   Usage

   Use it to mark the treatment area at a spa or to show a skin problem. Cebuano says "nawong", not Tagalog "mukha"

5. Mata

   Eye

   Usage

   At an eye clinic or pharmacy — for red eyes after diving, or contact lens questions

6. Dalunggan

   Ear

   Usage

   Point at it when your ears will not equalize while diving, or when they hurt

7. Ilong

   Nose

   Usage

   For a blocked nose or nosebleed — show it at the pharmacy when looking for nasal spray

8. Baba

   Mouth

   Usage

   At the dentist or ENT — for mouth ulcers or a cut inside the mouth

9. Ngipon

   Tooth

   Usage

   At the dentist — point at the aching tooth while showing this

10. Dila

    Tongue

    Usage

    For a burned or numb tongue

11. Liog

    Neck

    Usage

    The outside of the neck. Cebuano separates the neck (liog) from the throat inside (tutunlan) — use tutunlan for pain when swallowing

12. Tutunlan

    Throat

    Usage

    The inside of the throat. "Sakit ang akong tutunlan" means "my throat hurts" — show it at the pharmacy when you have a cold

13. Abaga

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Use it at a massage shop to say where you want them to work

14. Bukton

    Arm

    Usage

    From shoulder to wrist. Cebuano keeps the arm (bukton) separate from the hand (kamot)

15. Siko

    Elbow

    Usage

    Point at it when you have scraped or knocked it

16. Kamot

    Hand

    Usage

    From the wrist down. For the whole arm use bukton

17. Tudlo

    Finger

    Usage

    Used for fingers and toes alike. Say "tudlo sa tiil" if you need to specify a toe

18. Kuko

    Nail

    Usage

    For a nail salon, or when you have broken a nail

19. Dughan

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest wall. Use it for chest pain or breathlessness — show a doctor immediately, this is urgent

20. Tiyan

    Belly / stomach

    Usage

    Cebuano uses one word for the belly and the stomach organ. Add "sulod sa tiyan" (inside the belly) if you need to point at the organ

21. Likod

    Back

    Usage

    The word you will use most at a massage shop, and after a long bus ride

22. Hawak

    Waist / lower back

    Usage

    The waist. Also used for trouser waist size

23. Samput

    Buttocks

    Usage

    The neutral word to use in a medical setting. Best avoided in casual conversation

24. Paa

    Thigh

    Usage

    The thigh. Chicken thigh is also "paa", so context matters at the market

25. Tuhod

    Knee

    Usage

    Easy to hurt on island stairways and waterfall treks. Point at it when buying a pain patch

26. Tiil

    Foot / leg

    Usage

    Covers both the foot and the whole leg. Use paa for the thigh and tuhod for the knee when you need to be precise

27. Panit

    Skin

    Usage

    For sunburn, insect bites and rashes. "Rashes sa panit" means a skin rash

28. Bukog

    Bone

    Usage

    "Nabali ang bukog" means a broken bone — use it when asking for an X-ray

29. Dugo

    Blood

    Usage

    "Nagdugo" means bleeding. Also used when asking for a blood test

30. Kasingkasing

    Heart

    Usage

    The organ. "Sakit sa kasingkasing" means heart disease — show it when declaring a condition

31. Tinai

    Intestines

    Usage

    The intestines — for telling a doctor where the problem is when diarrhoea will not stop

32. Baga

    Lungs

    Usage

    The lungs — show it together with hubak (asthma) when declaring a condition. The same spelling also means burning embers

33. Atay

    Liver

    Usage

    The liver — comes up with hepatitis vaccination and questions about drinking

34. Amimislon

    Kidney

    Usage

    The kidney. Many speakers just say the English "kidney" in daily speech — switch to that if this does not land

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