Meaning
Short for la combinación (“the combination”), combi generally describes a set of things that belong together. Its exact meaning depends on context.
1. Puerto Rican Chinese food
The standard meal format at Chinese restaurants in Puerto Rico: a massive plate with a protein, Puerto Rican-style fried rice, and a side—usually french fries or tostones.
- Protein: pepper steak, sweet-and-sour chicken, spare ribs, and so on.
- Rice: yellow-orange Puerto Rican-style fried rice, often with ham.
- Side: french fries or tostones.
It is a culturally iconic meal.
2. In reggaetón
La combi completa describes someone—usually a woman—who has “the whole package,” meaning every physically desirable quality.
The phrase reportedly grew out of a conversation between Nicky Jam and Daddy Yankee in Puerto Rico around 1999. Nicky told a woman yo quiero la combi completa (“I want the complete combo”); the phrase became a hook and then an iconic hit.
3. At the club
If you hear the hook at the club, brother, just sing along.
Closest English equivalent
“The combo,” though the Puerto Rican Chinese-food combi is culturally distinct.
Usage
- Dame una combi de pepper steak con tostones. — Give me a pepper-steak combo with tostones.
- Quiero una combi china. — I want a Chinese combo.
- Esa jeva es la combi completa. — That woman is the complete package.
Variants
- La combi.
- La combi completa — the complete package; also metaphorical.
- Sin arroz — without rice; rarely requested.
Origin
The Chinese-food meaning probably emerged as local Chinese restaurants adapted their menus to Puerto Rican tastes by adding tostones, french fries, and local-style yellow fried rice.