foolxumo
The Somali word for "ugly" is foolxumo.
foolxumo is an adjective used to describe something or someone that is displeasing to the eye or not aesthetically pleasing.
Meaning: displeasing to the eye, not aesthetically pleasing (adj)
Did you know?
- The word foolxumo is a compound of fool, meaning 'face', and xumo, meaning 'bad'. In Somali culture, physical appearance is often viewed through the lens of the face as the center of identity.
- The word foolxumo links aesthetic ugliness with a lack of virtue because it shares the root xumo used for moral badness.
- In Somali poetry, describing a person as foolxumo is often avoided through euphemisms to maintain 'sharaf', or honor, which is a vital social concept.
Example conversation
Yasmin and Abdirashid are looking at a piece of art.
- YasminAbdirashid, sawirkan ma foolxumo baa?Abdirashid, is this picture ugly?
- AbdirashidMaya, aniga aad baan u jecelahay.No, I like it very much.
- YasminLaakiin midabada ayaa foolxumo ah.But the colors are ugly.
- AbdirashidWaa farshaxan, ee ha eegin midabka.It is art, so do not look at the color.
