ruw

Ruw is a Dutch adjective meaning rough, coarse, crude, or harsh. It is used to describe textures and surfaces that lack smoothness (for example, het oppervlak is ruw; ruw hout) as well as conditions, behavior, or language that are unrefined or blunt (ruw weer, ruwe kritiek). The sense emphasizes irregularity, unevenness, or lack of refinement, rather than a raw or uncooked state, which is more often expressed by the related word rauw.

The term appears in many compound nouns and set phrases. For instance, ruwe olie refers to crude oil, and ruwe behandeling translates to rough treatment. In everyday speech, ruw can convey a negative evaluation when describing people or actions, such as a ruwe opmerking (a crude remark) or ruw taalgebruik (coarse language).

Etymology and usage notes: Ruw is a native Dutch word of Germanic origin. It is related to similar West Germanic terms that express roughness or coarseness, though exact cognates vary by language. Distinctions with rauw: rauw generally means raw, uncooked, or unprocessed, while ruw emphasizes texture, roughness, and lack of refinement.

See also: rauw, crude oil (ruwe olie in Dutch), roughness in materials.