buwena mano

See also: buwenamano

Tagalog

Alternative forms

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish buena mano (“good hand”), due to the supposed good pick or fine hand of the first customer of the day. It is said that the concept originally came from the Sangley Chinese who are believed to be good at running a business.

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /buˌena ˈmano/ [ˌbwɛ.nɐ ˈma.no]
Syllabification: bu‧we‧na ma‧no

Noun

buwena mano (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜓᜏᜒᜈ ᜋᜈᜓ) (business)

first customer of the day
first sale of the day

Usage notes

In the Philippines, it is believed that usage of this term invites luck into the business throughout the day, so business owners tend to welcome the first customer with a bigger smile.

Related terms

See also

manigo
pasinaya

Further reading

“buwena mano” at KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino‎, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2021
“buwenamano”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
Dimaculangan, Shelly C. (2017) “Filipino Phrases Borrowed from Spanish that You May Find Amusing”, in Shelly Viajera Travel‎

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