Quick Answer
"Buss Up" (also spelled "bus up" or "bussup") is Hawaiian Pidgin for "broken," "messed up," "beat up," or "destroyed." It comes from "busted up" and is used to describe anything that's damaged, worn out, or in bad condition. You can use it for objects ("My car stay all buss up"), people who got hurt ("He got buss up in da fight"), or even situations that went wrong. It's one of the most versatile and commonly used Pidgin expressions!
🗣️ How to Pronounce "Buss Up"
Breakdown:
- "Buss" - rhymes with "bus" or "fuss"
- "Up" - same as English "up"
Say it naturally: "BUSS UP" - quick and punchy, often run together as "bussup"
Variations: "buss up," "bus up," "bussup," "bus' up" - all mean the same thing!
📖 The Meaning Behind "Buss Up"
Origin
"Buss up" evolved from "busted up" - a common English expression meaning broken or damaged. In Pidgin, "busted" became "buss" (dropping the "-ted" ending), creating the shorter, punchier "buss up." This kind of contraction is typical of how Pidgin adapts English words into more efficient forms.
Multiple Meanings
"Buss up" is incredibly versatile:
- Physically broken: "Da chair stay buss up" (The chair is broken)
- Injured: "His face all buss up" (His face is beat up/injured)
- Worn out: "My slippers stay buss up" (My slippers are worn out)
- Messed up situation: "Everything stay all buss up" (Everything's messed up)
- Laughing hard: "We was buss up laughing" (We were cracking up)
Cultural Note
In Hawaii, people often keep using things even when they're "buss up" - it's part of the local culture of not being wasteful. A buss up car that still runs? Still good! Buss up slippers held together with tape? Classic local style. There's almost a badge of honor in making things work even when they're buss up.
💬 How to Use "Buss Up" - Real Examples
"My phone stay all buss up - da screen cracked."
Translation: "My phone is all broken - the screen is cracked."
"He went surf and came back all buss up."
Translation: "He went surfing and came back all beat up."
"Time fo get new shoes - dese ones all buss up."
Translation: "Time to get new shoes - these ones are all worn out."
"Da joke was so funny, everybody was buss up!"
Translation: "The joke was so funny, everyone was cracking up!"
"His truck stay buss up but still runs good."
Translation: "His truck is beat up but still runs well."
"Da whole plan stay buss up now."
Translation: "The whole plan is messed up now."
🔗 Related Hawaiian Pidgin Terms
Junk
Broken, no good, worthless
Hamajang
Messed up, in disarray, out of order
Kapakahi
Crooked, lopsided, not right
Broke
Broken (standard but used in Pidgin too)
Poho
Waste, too bad, unfortunate
Lickens
A beating (what makes you buss up)
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