buttock [noun] [de bil, de billen]
"Bil" is mainly used in relation to the human body, though animals can also have "billen". The latter would be translated with "hams" in relation to a cow for example. In general, the plural "billen" is more often used than the singular "bil". The "billen" cover more than just the buttocks area, but also a part of the upper thighs. In daily practise however, it is a synonym for the bottom/buttocks/behind.
It is quite acceptable to use the word "billen", but if you want to be on the safe side, use the word "achterwerk" which is the formal Dutch equivalent of "behind".
Examples:
– "De baby zat met zijn blote billetjes in het zand."
("The baby sat with his bare (little) buttocks/bottom in the sand.")
– "Frank klaagt altijd over de dikke billen van zijn vrouw."
("Frank is always complaining about his wife’s fat bottom.")
– "De moeder gaf het stoute kind een flink pak voor zijn billen."
("The mother gave the misbehaving child a good smack on the bottom.")
Expressions:
– "Een blotebillengezicht": a round, smooth face (babyface).
– "Van bil gaan": <slang> to have sex, to get it on (sex involved), to go at it.
– "Wie zijn billen brandt, moet op de blaren zitten": as you sow, so
shall you reap / as you make your bed, so you must lie on it.
Literally: one who burns his buttocks, must sit on the blisters.
– "Met de billen bloot gaan": to come clean (lit. to go bare/naked with the buttocks).
Related words:
– "Reet": <derogatory slang> ass. "Reet" is actually an old-fashioned word for "crack".
– "Hol": <derogatory slang> ass. Literally the noun "hol" translates to "hole" (like a fox’s hole).
– "Kont": ass, bottom. This word and the two previous examples have no plural.
Here a common informal expression is: "Lekker kontje!", which you can use for either a male or female butt that you think looks good 😉
– "Achterwerk": <formal> behind [noun].
– "Kikkerbillen": frog’s legs (French delicacy).
Extra:
"1 april, kikker in je bil!" is an expression that is often heard on April Fool’s day. The expression has no special meaning (other than the literal frog in your behind), I guess it just has a good rhyme to it 🙂