bicho

Chavacano

Etymology

Inherited from Spanish bicho (“bug”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbit͡ʃo/ [ˈbi.t͡ʃo]
• (Zamboanga) IPA^(key): /ˈbit͡ʃuʔ/ [ˈbi.t͡ʃuʔ]
• Rhymes: -o, -oʔ, -uʔ
• Hyphenation: bi‧cho

Noun

bícho

1. (Zamboangueño, Caviteño) insect, bug

Derived terms

• bicho-bicho

Galician

Bicho

Alternative forms

• becho

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese *bischo (note the derivative bischoco (“worm, caterpillar”), 13th century, Cantigas de Santa Maria), from Latin bēstia or Vulgar Latin bestula.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbit͡ʃo/ [ˈbi.t͡ʃʊ]
• Rhymes: -itʃo
• Hyphenation: bi‧cho

Noun

bicho m (plural bichos)

1. bug (alternative form of becho)

Derived terms

• bicheiro

Related terms

• bicha

References

• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “bicho”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “bicho”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “bicho”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Portuguese

Etymology 1

From Vulgar Latin *bīstius, a masculine form of bīstia, from Latin bēstia (“beast”). Doublet of besta.

Alternative forms

• bixo (misspelling)

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbi.ʃu/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbi.ʃu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbi.ʃu/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbit.ʃu/

• Rhymes: -iʃu, (Northern Portugal) -it͡ʃu
• Hyphenation: bi‧cho

Noun

bicho m (plural bichos)

1. beast (non-human animal)

   Synonyms: animal, besta, fera

2. (strictly) bug; minibeast
3. (derogatory) severely aggressive person
4. (Brazil, slang, vocative) buddy (close friend); also used as a general informal form of address

   Synonyms: amigo, camarada, companheiro

Derived terms

• bichão
• bichinho
• bicho de conta
• bicho de conta-aquático
• bicho de conta-do-mar
• bicho de estimação
• bicho de pelúcia
• bicho de sete cabeças
• bicho do mato
• bicho-barbeiro
• bicho-cabeludo
• bicho-careta
• bicho-carpinteiro
• bicho-côdeo
• bicho-da-costa
• bicho-da-preguiça
• bicho-da-seda
• bicho-da-taquara
• bicho-da-terra
• bicho-das-frutas
• bicho-das-palmeiras
• bicho-de-canastro
• bicho-de-cesto
• bicho-de-chifre
• bicho-de-coco
• bicho-de-frade
• bicho-de-goiaba
• bicho-de-ormuz
• bicho-de-pau
• bicho-de-pé
• bicho-de-porco
• bicho-do-café
• bicho-do-mar
• bicho-do-milho
• bicho-galo
• bicho-gordo
• bicho-grilo
• bicho-mole
• bicho-papão
• bicho-pau
• bicho-preguiça
• bicho-preto
• bicho-vergonhoso
• jogo do bicho
• mata-bicho
• o bicho vai pegar
• se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho come
• ser o bicho

Related terms

• bicha
• bichado
• bichano
• bichar
• bicharada
• bicharoco
• bicheira
• bicheza

Descendants

• → Hunsrik: Bisch, Bischo
• Kabuverdianu: bitchu

Noun

bicho m (uncountable)

1. (Brazil, gambling, colloquial) ellipsis of jogo do bicho
   • 1995, Falcão, Jair Morais, “Todo Castigo Pra Corno É Pouco” (1:33 from the start), in A Besteira É A Base Da Sabedoria, performed by Falcão:

     Resolvi sair de casa / Comprei um chapéu de couro / Joguei no bicho, deu touro / Não sei o que vou fazer

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Derived terms

• bicheiro

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bicho

1. first-person singular present indicative of bichar

Further reading

• “bicho”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “bicho”, in Dicionário Infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “bicho”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026
• “bicho”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *bīstius, a masculine form of *bīstia, from Latin bēstia (“beast”). Compare English beast. Compare with the inherited doublet bicha and the direct borrowing bestia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbit͡ʃo/ [ˈbi.t͡ʃo]

• Audio (Venezuela):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -itʃo
• Syllabification: bi‧cho

Noun

bicho m (plural bichos)

1. bug
2. vermin

   Synonym: alimaña

3. beast (non-human animal)
4. (Nicaragua, vulgar) vulva

   Synonyms: concha, coño

5. (Puerto Rico, vulgar) penis

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:pene

6. (Honduras, El Salvador, derogatory, colloquial) youngster, kid (boy, or young man)

   Synonym: joven

Derived terms

• bichito
• bicho bolita
• bicho de cesto
• bicho de luz
• bicho malo
• bicho raro
• bichofeo
• matabichos
• todo bicho viviente

Further reading

• “bicho”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026

Tagalog

Noun

bicho (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜒᜆ᜔ᜐᜓ)

1. alternative spelling of bitso