A Visayan word has caught the attention of social media users after the term “esmiringhoy” went viral, prompting laughter, curiosity, and various reactions from netizens.
The word “esmiringhoy” refers to sexual intercourse, based on how it was used during a radio interview. In Filipino, it can be likened to the colloquial term “bembang,” which is also used to refer to sexual activity.
How did it go viral?
The word gained attention after Evelyn Batuigas used it during an interview about the alleged problems in her relationship with her husband, Ronald Batuigas.
During the interview, Evelyn recounted trying to be affectionate toward her husband and asking him to share one last intimate moment with her before they separated.
“Bago tayo maghiwalay, mag-esmiringhoy muna tayo para last na lang na ano,” Evelyn said.
When asked about the meaning of the word, she explained that it referred to “pagbembang,” or sexual intercourse.
Clips of the interview subsequently circulated on social media, prompting humorous comments, memes, and reactions from netizens who were unfamiliar with the term.
Is ‘esmiringhoy’ a newly coined word?
Despite its sudden popularity, “esmiringhoy” may not be a newly coined term.
According to a report by Radar, the variants “esmiringhay” and “esmiringhoy” were documented in an English-Visayan vocabulary published in 1996. The reference associated the terms with concepts involving concubinage, cohabitation, and relationships outside marriage.
However, the usage and meaning of regional words may vary depending on the location and context.
The sudden popularity of “esmiringhoy” highlights how social media can introduce regional vocabulary to a wider audience, turning a word familiar to some communities into a nationwide topic of conversation.
