Meaning
The Jamaican spelling and pronunciation of 'true' — genuine, real, or accurate, describing someone or something as the real deal rather than an imitation or a copy. Standing alone, 'Tru' also works as a one-word agreement, the same way 'facts' or 'exactly' does in English. 'Tru Jamaican' means an authentic, no-costume Jamaican — the identity itself, plainly claimed, with no wordplay attached.
Senses
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adjective Genuine, real, authentic — describing a person, thing or claim as the real deal.
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Him a tru Jamaican, born an raise a Kingston.
He's a true Jamaican, born and raised in Kingston.
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A tru story dis, mi nah mek it up.
This is a true story, I'm not making it up.
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interjection Said alone as agreement — 'that's right', 'exactly', 'for real'.
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'Him nuh like fi wuk.' 'Tru!'
'He doesn't like to work.' 'True!'
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Tru, mi been a tell yuh dat from di start.
Exactly, I've been telling you that from the start.
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Origin
The Jamaican phonetic spelling of English 'true' — the vowel collapses the same way it does across the language ('brok'/'broke', 'gud'/'good'). See True-true, the reduplicated intensified form.
How it’s used
Plain and unadorned — no in-joke, no double meaning. Used the way 'true' is used in English, just spelled and said the Jamaican way.