Definition
Nonsense or foolish talk; empty chatter lacking substance or truth. An exclamation expressing disbelief or dismissal of something as ridiculous.
Etymology
From Dutch pappekak, literally meaning 'soft dung,' from pap 'soft food' + kak 'excrement.' The word entered English in the mid-19th century as a euphemistic way to call something worthless or nonsensical.
Kelly Says
This wonderfully euphemistic word shows how languages borrow colorful expressions while cleaning them up—the Dutch original was much cruder, but English speakers adopted it as a relatively polite way to dismiss nonsense. The word's silly sound makes it perfect for expressing dismissal without real offense.
Translations
CACatalà
xerrameca
shay-rah-may-kah
CSČeština
brekeke
breh-keh-keh
ELΕλληνικά
ανοησία
ah-noh-ee-see-ah
ESEspañol
tontería
toh-neh-ree-ah
FAفارسی
خزعبلات
khazʿabālāt
FISuomi
hölynpöly
hoh-lehn-poh-lyh
FRFrançais
balivernes
bah-lee-vayrn
HAHA
magana baƙi
mah-gah-nah bah-kee
HUMagyar
badarság
bah-dar-shahg
IDBahasa Indonesia
omong kosong
oh-mohng koh-sohng
IGIG
asụsụ ịghị ịma
ah-soo-soo ee-gee ee-mah
ITItaliano
sciocchezza
shoh-keh-tseh
KKKK
маңызсыз сөз
mah-nee-z seh-ohz
KMKM
ពាក្យឥតប្រយោជន៍
piak īt prāyōch
MSBahasa Melayu
omong kosong
oh-mohng koh-sohng
MYမြန်မာ
စကားမဲ့
sāʔ gà meh
NLNederlands
onzin
ohn-zin
PAPA
ਗੱਲਾਂ-ਬਾਤਾਂ
galā̃-bātā̃
PTPortuguês
absurdice
ahb-soor-dees
RORomână
tâmpenie
tahm-peh-nee-eh
SWKiswahili
uongo
oo-oh-ngoh
THไทย
เรื่องไร้สาระ
rʉ̂aŋ râi sǎra
TLTL
walang saysay
wah-lahng sah-ee-sah
TRTürkçe
saçmalık
sah-chmah-luhk
UKУкраїнська
дурниці
door-nee-tsee
VITiếng Việt
vô nghĩa
voh nih-eh
YOYO
òrò òkò
oh-roh oh-koh
ZUZU
ukudlwengula
oo-koo-dloo-ehn-goo-lah