Question: Bones and Seeds. Buto and Tinik.

Yes, you're right about that. The bones of animals, except fishes, and the seeds of fruits are called “butó”. The bones of fishes are called “tiník”. “Tiník” also means “thorn” and the thorn of a rose plant, for example, is called “tinik ng rosas”. We use the same verb “mátiník” to mean both getting pricked by a plant’s thorn and ending up with a fish bone stuck in our throats. The typical needle-like characteristic of fish bones might have been the reason they got named that way. I believe though that the skeletons of marine mammals are called “buto”. You might hear a person described as “matiník” (stress is only on the 3rd syllable). It means “cunning” in either a clever or a crafty way.