saysay

Cebuano

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *sáysay.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: say‧say
• IPA^(key): /ˈsajsaj/ [ˈs̪ai̯.s̪ai̯]

Noun

sáysay (Badlit spelling ᜐᜌ᜔ᜐᜌ᜔)

1. a record of events; recital of transactions; a relation or narrative; a report; a description; an account

   Synonym: estorya

Verb

sáysay (Badlit spelling ᜐᜌ᜔ᜐᜌ᜔)

1. to narrate; to relate a story or series of events by speech or writing

   Synonyms: estorya, matmat

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:saysay.

Derived terms

• isaysay
• mosaysay
• saysayan
• saysayon

Central Bikol

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *sáysay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsajsaj/ [ˈsaɪ̯.saɪ̯]
• Hyphenation: say‧say

Noun

sáysáy (Basahan spelling ᜐᜌ᜔ᜐᜌ᜔)

1. (formal) narration, telling of a story or experience

   Synonyms: istoriya, usip

Derived terms

• isaysay
• magsaysay
• saysayan

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• sisay — obsolete

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Philippine *sáysay per Blust (2010–). Compare Kapampangan sese, Central Bikol saysay, and Cebuano saysay. See also salaysay.

According to Manuel (1948), it may also be reduplication of Hokkien 使 (sái, “to use; to employ”). See also Xiamen Hokkien and Zhangzhou Hokkien 會使 / 会使 (ē-sái, “to be of use; to be able to; to be permitted to; can; may”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /sajˈsaj/ [saɪ̯ˈsaɪ̯]
• Rhymes: -aj
• Syllabification: say‧say

Noun

saysáy (Baybayin spelling ᜐᜌ᜔ᜐᜌ᜔)

1. value; worth

   Synonyms: halaga, kahalagahan, presyo

2. significance; importance

   Synonyms: halaga, importansiya, kahulugan, kahalagahan, kuwenta, kabuluhan, kasaysayan (dated), bulo (obsolete)

3. relating in detail; telling in detail (to someone)

   Synonyms: salaysay, pagsasalaysay, sabi, pagsasabi

4. statement; declaration (in detail)

   Synonyms: salaysay, pahayag, deklarasyon, ulat, diga

Derived terms

• isaysay
• kasaysayan
• kawalang-kasaysayan
• magpawalang-saysay
• magsaysay
• makasaysayan
• mananaysay
• pagsasaysay
• pagsaysayan
• pangkasaysayan
• pawalang-saysay
• sanaysay
• tagapagsaysay
• tagasaysay
• walang-saysay

Further reading

• “saysay”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “saysay”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Blust, Robert; Trussel, Stephen; et al. (2023) “*sáysay”, in the CLDF dataset from The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (2010–), →DOI
• Manuel, E. Arsenio (1948), Chinese elements in the Tagalog language: with some indication of Chinese influence on other Philippine languages and cultures and an excursion into Austronesian linguistics, Manila: Filipiniana Publications, page 52

Anagrams

• yasyas