fu
“fu” means “hiss” in Spanish (The sound a cat makes when angry).
hiss, blah
Also: neither here nor there
📝 In Action
El gato me hizo fu cuando intenté acariciarlo.
A2The cat hissed at me when I tried to pet it.
¿Te gustó la cena? —Psé, ni fu ni fa.
B1Did you like the dinner? —Eh, it was just okay / nothing special.
Esa película me dejó ni fu ni fa; no fue tan buena como decían.
B1That movie was neither here nor there for me; it wasn't as good as they said.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fu
Question 1 of 3
What does a person mean when they say a concert was 'ni fu ni fa'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
An onomatopoeic word, meaning it was created to imitate the actual sound of a cat's hiss or a quick puff of air.
First recorded: Recorded in dictionaries since the 18th century as a sound of annoyance.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'fu' by itself in a sentence?
Generally, no. It is either used to describe the sound a cat makes ('hacer fu') or as part of the fixed phrase 'ni fu ni fa.' Standing alone, it doesn't have a clear meaning.
Is 'ni fu ni fa' rude?
It's not exactly rude, but it is very informal. It shows a lack of enthusiasm, so avoid using it if someone worked really hard on something for you!
What is the 'fa' in 'ni fu ni fa'?
The 'fa' doesn't have a meaning either! It's just a rhyming sound added to 'fu' to make the phrase catchier and more rhythmic.