The Cebuano/Bisaya word kinilaw means “kinilaw — raw fish or seafood marinated in vinegar and spices”. Pronounced ki-ni-LAW, it is used as a noun across Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and much of Mindanao. This guide covers what kinilaw means in Bisaya, how to pronounce it, when to use it, common example sentences, and how it compares to similar Cebuano words.
In Bisaya (Cebuano), kinilaw translates to “kinilaw — raw fish or seafood marinated in vinegar and spices”.
Bisaya word
kinilaw
English meaning
kinilaw
Part of speech
Noun
Capital letters mark the stressed syllable — say it louder and slightly longer.
Bisaya stress is phonemic, meaning the wrong stress can change a word's meaning or make it unrecognisable to native speakers. For kinilaw, put the main stress on the uppercase syllable in ki-ni-LAW. Practice by saying it slowly first, then gradually speed up to natural conversational pace.
Lami ang kinilaw nga tuna sa baybayon.
Tuna kinilaw at the beach is delicious.
Cebu's version of ceviche. Often made with fresh tuna, shrimp, or coconut vinegar and ginger. A beloved appetizer.
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