Kilig
- “tagalog word for butterflies”
- “kilig meaning”
- “word for romantic shivers”
- “kilig to the bones”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Kilig | Gigil |
|---|---|---|
| Body does | Loosens | Clenches |
| Trigger | Romance | Cuteness or rage |
| Can be hostile | No | Yes |
| Entered OED | 2016 | 2025 |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Kilig rather than Gigil are usually searching for phrases like “tagalog word for butterflies”, “kilig meaning”, “word for romantic shivers”.
Gigil
- “why do I want to squeeze cute things”
- “gigil meaning”
- “cute aggression word”
- “tagalog word for clenching at cuteness”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortGigil. 1990 — The OED's earliest recorded evidence for gigil used in Philippine English.
- 1990
Gigil. The OED's earliest recorded evidence for gigil used in Philippine English.
- March 2016
Kilig. The Oxford English Dictionary adds kilig as adjective and noun of Philippine English, along with the phrases 'kilig to the bones', 'kilig factor' and 'kilig moment'.
04 · Read either one