# What stinks? P-U or Pyoo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027 "2007-12-14T19:57:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/1 "2007-12-14T19:57:58Z")
Okay, just having a conversation about saying “P.U.” when something is malodorous. Does P.U. stand for something? And I assume “pyoo” is just pronouncing the initials? I have also been made fun of for saying “pyoo.” Is that not as popular? Just curious! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/2 "2007-12-14T20:00:11Z")
I’ve assumed it was a stylized form of “Phew!” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/3 "2007-12-14T20:27:47Z")
“Pew” is by far the older; the OED has it from 1603. “Phew” is from the same year, oddly. And “Pooh” is a few years older (1593, probably derived from “poop”). P.U. was a cute spelling for “pew/phew” – you can see how it might have arisen, especially since one spelling variant is “pyoo.” If you say the word slowly, it sounds like “P.U.” It was certainly extant by the 1940s – Warner Brothers cartoons used it, meaning it was probably more acceptable that others. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/4 "2007-12-14T20:31:59Z")
“P.U.” (spoken) is an exaggerated way of saying “pew,” which is a slangy way of saying “phew.” I have never seen it written “pyoo,” only “pew” or “P.U.” So while your friends would be justified in mocking you heartlessly for **writing** “pyoo,” they’re ignorant clods if they don’t recognize the **pronunciation** (pyoo = pew). 😛 Two things everyone should be aware of: The Looney Tunes character [Pepe le Pew.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pep%C3%A9_Le_Pew) The old “Confucius say…” joke - Confucius say man who fart in church sit in his own pew. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/5 "2007-12-14T20:41:20Z")
Honey, I found a language geek board! [Here’s](http://wordcraft.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/932607094/m/2941065921) their discussion. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/6 "2007-12-14T21:28:21Z")
Here in Indiana, the folks at Indiana University (I.U.) in Bloomington seldom miss an opportunity to giggle at a P.U.-stink joke about Purdue University (P.U.) in West Lafayette. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![SharkB8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@SharkB8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SharkB8)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-stinks-p-u-or-pyoo/430027/7 "2007-12-15T02:38:58Z")
[QUOTE=Gary T] “P.U.” (spoken) is an exaggerated way of saying “pew,” which is a slangy way of saying “phew.” I have never seen it written “pyoo,” only “pew” or “P.U.” So while your friends would be justified in mocking you heartlessly for **writing** “pyoo,” they’re ignorant clods if they don’t recognize the **pronunciation** (pyoo = pew). 😛 Two things everyone should be aware of: The Looney Tunes character [Pepe le Pew.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pep%C3%A9_Le_Pew) The old “Confucius say…” joke - Confucius say man who fart in church sit in his own pew. [/QUOTE] I love you.