Pronunciations

Definitions

• interj. An expression made by (literally or with similar sounds) spitting three times to ward off the evil eye after something good has happened.

Example Sentences

Etymology

• "The explanation for ‘three times’ is because the number three is considered mystical. Long ago, people used to deem odd numbers lucky. Considering three was the first odd number after the unit (one), many people judged it as a magical number.

  Nobody truly knows where this custom of spitting initiated. Some scholars believe it originated from the Christian Bible and the miracles carried out through the saliva of Jesus." (source)

Who Uses This

• Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
• Older: Jews who are middle-aged and older

Regions

• North America

Dictionaries

• None

Alternative Spellings

ptu ptu ptu, too too too, tu tu tu, poo-poo-poo, ptu-ptu-ptu, tu-tu-tu, too-too-too, pew pew pew, pew-pew-pew, pfu pfu pfu, pfoo pfoo pfoo, pfu-pfu-pfu, pfoo-pfoo-pfoo, tfu tfu tfu, tfu-tfu-tfu, tfoo tfoo tfoo, tfoo-tfoo-tfoo