kabaliwan
/kabaliˈwan/
The English word "insanity" is translated to Tagalog as kabaliwan.
kabaliwan refers to the state of being insane. While it can refer to clinical insanity, it is very commonly used colloquially to describe foolishness, nonsense or acting in a silly or irrational manner.
Meaning: state of being insane (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun kabaliwan is derived from the root word baliw, which means insane.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word uses the suffix -an to turn the adjective baliw (insane) into a noun representing a state or a place of that quality.
How do you pronounce it?
/kabaliˈwan/
Did you know?
- A person exhibiting kabaliwan might be jokingly called sira-ulo, which literally means 'broken head'.
- The word baliw is a distinct Austronesian term, sharing a deep linguistic lineage with many other languages in the Philippines, unlike many Spanish-derived medical terms.
- The root word baliw is also used to describe someone who is 'crazy' for a person, often used in romantic songs to describe a deep, irrational infatuation.
Examples in context
- Ayaw ko sa mga taong sira ulo, ang hirap kasama nila.I don't like being around people who are crazy, it's difficult.
- Ang kabaliwan na ito ay hindi na nakakatawa.This insanity is no longer funny.
- Isang uri ng kabaliwan ang ginawa niya.What he did was a type of insanity.
- Minsan, ang mundo ay tila puno ng kabaliwan.Sometimes, the world seems full of insanity.
Example conversation
Juan and Jasmine are discussing a strange news report.
- JuanNarinig mo ba ang balita? Tunay na kabaliwan ito.Did you hear the news? This is pure insanity.
- JasmineOo, nakakagulat ang sinabi ng lalaki.Yes, what the man said was shocking.
- JuanHindi ko lubos maisip ang kabaliwan niya.I cannot even fathom his insanity.
- JasmineTotoo ka, Juan. Nakakatakot ang nangyari.You're right, Juan. What happened is scary.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “insanity” translations and entries kabaliwan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kabaliwan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
