Tall Tales: Slangs: Harmya

Gwaan: This translates to “go on,” but it’s used as a phrase of encouragement. It’s like saying “keep going,” “do your thing,” or “I support you.” If your friend is nervous about performing on stage, you’d tell them “gwaan!” to hype them up. It’s super positive and shows that you believe in what they’re doing. You’ll also hear it in arguments when someone is like, “gwaan, leave me alone,” meaning “get out of here.” But most of the time, when an 18-year-old uses it, they’re just hyping up their friend’s fit or their dance moves.