jápa
verb
/d͡ʒá.k͡pā/
já pa (alternative)
Definitions
-
to run away, to flee
Jápa jápa, jápa lọ London // Jápa jápa, já wọ Canada // Jápa jápa, já wọ Chicago // Jápa jápa, já lọ sí Africa Japa japa, japa to London // Japa japa, flee to Canada // Japa japa, flee to Chicago // Japa japa, flee to Africa.Similar wordssá lọjúbà ehoroverb họverb 4 entries are spelled “họ”, and the list this came from doesn't say which one is meant — we've linked to the first. họ to flee, to run away họ̀ alternative form of wọ̀ (“to gouge or scoop out of something”) họ to scratch or itch (a body) with the hand or finger họ́ to be in a very tight space na pápá borafẹsẹ̀ fẹ́ẹsá
-
to japa; to emigrate from a country, typically for better pay or working conditions.
Wọ́n fẹ́ jápa. They want to relocate.You who are emigrating, be careful to not get robbed - Lai Mohammed
Etymology
From já (“to dart, dash”) + pa (“intensifier”). Slang term likely popularised by Naira Marley’s 2018 song, Japa.
Component words
játo dart, dash
9 entries are spelled “já”. The etymology calls it “to dart, dash”, but that isn't enough to tell them apart — we've linked to the first.
já
to snap, to break off, to break loose
já
to occur, to take place, to begin suddenly (to break out)
já
to ring out like a bell
já
to fall off (from some height)
já
to shine brightly
já
to become aware, to come to full realization
já
to become punctured
já
to become saturated or oversaturated with something; to become too much of something
já
to pluck off (usually referring to fruit or leaves)
paintensifier
6 entries are spelled “pa”. The etymology calls it “intensifier”, but that isn't enough to tell them apart — we've linked to the first.
pa
to kill
pa
to tell, to convey
pa
to rub
pa
to gain, to make
pa
to be in a state, defined by a following adverb
pa
to be tight
Words in other languages from this one
These are words in other languages that came from this Yorùbá word, mostly through trade, the Atlantic slave trade, and contact with neighbouring languages.
They are not translations. A word here means what it means in its own language, which may have drifted a long way from the Yorùbá it started as.
japaEnglishjapaNigerian Pidgin
Source: Wiktionary,
where this word is spelled “japa”.
Reference:
en-japa-yo-verb-M3zBx8E8