Walang muwang
The English adjective "naive" can be translated into Tagalog as Walang muwang.
Walang muwang is used to describe someone who is lacking experience, wisdom or judgment. While it can be used in a derogatory way to imply someone is naive, it is frequently used to describe the innocence of children or those who are unaware of the harsh realities of the world.
Meaning: lacking experience, wisdom, or judgement (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of walang (without) and muwang (knowledge or awareness, often used in the context of a child's understanding).
Did you know?
- The word muwang is almost exclusively used in the negative form walang muwang. It is very rare to find a sentence where someone is described as having 'awareness' using this specific word.
- In the Philippines, being walang muwang is frequently viewed as a protective state of purity for children rather than a character flaw.
- Calling an adult walang muwang can shift the tone from a simple insult to something poetic or literary, reminiscent of characters in classic Filipino novels.
Examples in context
- Ang mga kawani ay walang kamuwang-muwang sa mga pagnanakaw sa opisina.The employees are naive about the thefts in the office.
- Walang muwang ang batang iyon.That child is naive.
- Masyado siyang walang muwang para sa trabahong ito.She is too naive for this job.
Example conversation
Mark and Angela are discussing a new employee.
- MarkMasyado bang walang muwang si Maria?Is Maria too naive?
- AngelaOo, kulang pa siya sa karanasan.Yes, she still lacks experience.
- MarkKailangan ba siyang turuan nang mabuti?Does she need to be taught well?
- AngelaSiguradong kailangan niya ng gabay.She will definitely need guidance.
