putok

Putok is a primarily Filipino term used to describe bursting, popping, or a sudden loud sound. In Tagalog, the noun form putok denotes a burst or explosion, while as a verb it can convey the sense of something popping or rupturing. The word is also used as onomatopoeia to imitate a sharp noise, including the sound of a gunshot or an explosion, and is sometimes seen in phrases such as putok ng baril (gunshot).

In everyday language, putok appears in descriptions of physical events that involve rupture or rapid release, such as bursting a balloon, opening a seed pod, or a pipe bursting. Its usage is common in news reports, comic-book style writing, and informal speech to convey immediacy and impact.

Cultural and linguistic notes: putok is a familiar word within the Philippines and is part of everyday Filipino vocabulary related to sound and motion. Outside Filipino contexts, putok does not have a widely recognized meaning and is not used as a standard term in other languages.

The term illustrates how onomatopoeic words in Filipino communicate sensory impressions—specifically, a sudden, sharp sound and the associated sense of rupture or release.