Indonesian Idiom, Phrase, and Saying Dictionary
| Idiom | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| ada apa | A literal question meaning 'is there anything?' or 'is something the matter?' used to ask whether something exists or is... | id |
| ada udang di balik batu | A literal phrase meaning 'there is a shrimp behind the rock.' | An idiom meaning there is a concealed ulterior... | id |
| air tenang menghanyutkan | A literal proverb meaning 'calm (or still) water carries away,' describing the behavior of water that appears calm on the... | id |
| berseketiduran | To sleep together or share a bed with someone; a literal description of occupying the same bed for rest or... | id |
| besar pasak daripada tiang | A literal phrase meaning 'the peg (stake) is larger than the post,' picturing an imbalance between components of a structure.... | id |
| biarin | To leave something as it is; not to touch, change, or interfere with it. | Used as an imperative or... | id |
| bodo amat | Literally 'very stupid' (from 'bodoh amat'). | Expresses indifference or apathy; 'I don't care' or 'whatever'. | id |
| bomat | Colloquial clipped form of 'bodo amat' used to express indifference; 'I don't care'. | id |
| cinta satu malam | Literally 'one-night love'; a romantic or sexual encounter that lasts only one night. | A casual sexual relationship with no... | id |
| durian runtuh | Literally 'a durian falling'—an occurrence of durian fruit falling from a tree. | An unexpected windfall or stroke of good... | id |
| gali lubang, tutup lubang | Literal: to dig a hole and then fill or close it, referring to the physical action of making and covering... | id |
| jadi orang | Literal: to become a person or to attain the status of being a human individual. | Figurative (maturational): to grow... | id |
| kaleng-kaleng | Literal: plural of kaleng; cans or tins used to hold food or other substances. | Figurative: not genuine or of... | id |
| kambing hitam | Literal: a black goat, referring to an animal of that color. | Figurative: a person or group unfairly blamed for... | id |
| kebutuhan khusus | Literal: special requirements or specific needs that differ from the usual or standard. | Idiomatic: specific needs for additional care,... | id |
| koboi cacing | Literally "cowboy worm": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cacing' (worm), a literal phrase with no common neutral usage. |... | id |
| koboi cengeng | Literally "cowboy crybaby": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cengeng' (crying or whiny person), a literal combination used mainly for... | id |
| kurang kerjaan | Literally 'lacking work': having insufficient work or not enough tasks to occupy oneself. | Used derogatorily to say someone has... | id |
| makan | To eat; to consume food. | id |
| makan angin | Literally 'to eat wind': to take in or consume wind or air (literal meaning, rarely used). | To go out... | id |
| masa bodo | Literally, 'time ignorant'; a literal composition of the words but not commonly used on its own to convey a concrete... | id |
| masa bodoh | Literally, 'time of being ignorant' or 'a period of not knowing'; a direct compositional reading of the words rather than... | id |
| masuk tiga, keluar empat | Literally, 'three go in, four come out'; a compositional image describing a mismatch between input and output. | Figuratively, to... | id |
| mendapat pisang terkubak | Literally, 'to receive an upturned/overturned banana'; a concrete image referring to an easily obtained object. | Figuratively, to gain a... | id |
| menurut ngana | Literally, 'according to you'; a direct phrasing asking for or attributing an opinion to the addressee. | Figuratively, a sarcastic... | id |
| musuh dalam selimut | An enemy physically concealed under bedding or inside a blanket. | A hidden or internal enemy; a person within a... | id |
| nasi sudah menjadi bubur | Rice that has been cooked until it has become porridge. | What is done is done; an irreversible situation that... | id |
| obat nyamuk | A substance, such as a spray or coil, used to repel or kill mosquitoes and other insects. | A third,... | id |
| panjang tangan | Having physically long arms or an extended reach. | A person who steals or habitually takes things that do not... | id |
| penggelapan | The act or process of making something darker; darkening. | The criminal or unlawful appropriation of funds or property entrusted... | id |
| pucuk dicinta, ulam pun tiba | literal translation: 'the favored shoot, and the dish arrives.' | figurative: finally obtaining something that has been long desired; a... | id |
| pujaan hati | literal translation: 'the heart's adored one.' | figurative: a person one adores or cherishes; a beloved, darling, or romantic idol. | id |
| tutup-tutupi | To cover or close something physically, often intensively or repeatedly. | To conceal, hide, or disguise information, facts, or wrongdoing;... | id |
| republik pisang | literal translation: 'banana republic.' | figurative: a derogatory term for a country perceived as politically unstable, corrupt, or governed by... | id |
| ringan tangan | literal translation: 'light-handed' or 'light of hand.' | figurative: disposed to help others readily; quick to lend a hand. |... | id |
| sama sekali | literal translation: 'entirely' or 'completely.' | used as an intensifier in negative or restrictive contexts meaning 'at all' or 'in... | id |
| sambil menyelam minum air | Literally, 'to drink water while diving'; to perform the action of drinking while one is diving. | To accomplish two... | id |
| sampai titik darah penghabisan | Literally, 'until the blood is exhausted'; to continue until one's physical resources are spent. | To struggle or fight to... | id |
| si jago merah | Literally, 'the valiant red one'; a personified expression referring to something red or splendid in hue. | A colloquial term... | id |
| sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga | Literally, 'already fallen, then struck by a ladder'; an image of falling and then being hit by a ladder. |... | id |
| tahu diri | To know oneself; to understand one's own situation, abilities, or identity. | To know one's place; to behave with appropriate... | id |
| tajam ke bawah, tumpul ke atas | Literally, having a cutting edge that is sharp on the lower side and blunt on the upper side. | A... | id |
| tidur | To sleep; to rest in a state of reduced consciousness and diminished responsiveness to external stimuli. | A euphemism for... | id |
| timah panas | Literally, hot or molten lead (metal heated until liquid). | Colloquial term for bullets or ammunition; projectiles fired from a... | id |
| tong kosong nyaring bunyinya | Literally, an empty barrel makes a loud noise. | People who lack substance, knowledge, or ability often make the most... | id |
| tutup buku | To close a physical book by shutting its covers. | To close the books; to cease recording transactions and finalize... | id |
- ada apa
A literal question meaning 'is there anything?' or 'is something the matter?' used to ask whether something exists or is...
id - ada udang di balik batu
A literal phrase meaning 'there is a shrimp behind the rock.'
id - air tenang menghanyutkan
A literal proverb meaning 'calm (or still) water carries away,' describing the behavior of water that appears calm on the...
id - berseketiduran
To sleep together or share a bed with someone; a literal description of occupying the same bed for rest or...
id - besar pasak daripada tiang
A literal phrase meaning 'the peg (stake) is larger than the post,' picturing an imbalance between components of a structure.
id - biarin
To leave something as it is; not to touch, change, or interfere with it.
id - bodo amat
Literally 'very stupid' (from 'bodoh amat').
id - bomat
Colloquial clipped form of 'bodo amat' used to express indifference; 'I don't care'.
id - cinta satu malam
Literally 'one-night love'; a romantic or sexual encounter that lasts only one night.
id - durian runtuh
Literally 'a durian falling'—an occurrence of durian fruit falling from a tree.
id - gali lubang, tutup lubang
Literal: to dig a hole and then fill or close it, referring to the physical action of making and covering...
id - jadi orang
Literal: to become a person or to attain the status of being a human individual.
id - kaleng-kaleng
Literal: plural of kaleng; cans or tins used to hold food or other substances.
id - kambing hitam
Literal: a black goat, referring to an animal of that color.
id - kebutuhan khusus
Literal: special requirements or specific needs that differ from the usual or standard.
id - koboi cacing
Literally "cowboy worm": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cacing' (worm), a literal phrase with no common neutral usage.
id - koboi cengeng
Literally "cowboy crybaby": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cengeng' (crying or whiny person), a literal combination used mainly for...
id - kurang kerjaan
Literally 'lacking work': having insufficient work or not enough tasks to occupy oneself.
id - makan
To eat; to consume food.
id - makan angin
Literally 'to eat wind': to take in or consume wind or air (literal meaning, rarely used).
id - masa bodo
Literally, 'time ignorant'; a literal composition of the words but not commonly used on its own to convey a concrete...
id - masa bodoh
Literally, 'time of being ignorant' or 'a period of not knowing'; a direct compositional reading of the words rather than...
id - masuk tiga, keluar empat
Literally, 'three go in, four come out'; a compositional image describing a mismatch between input and output.
id - mendapat pisang terkubak
Literally, 'to receive an upturned/overturned banana'; a concrete image referring to an easily obtained object.
id - menurut ngana
Literally, 'according to you'; a direct phrasing asking for or attributing an opinion to the addressee.
id - musuh dalam selimut
An enemy physically concealed under bedding or inside a blanket.
id - nasi sudah menjadi bubur
Rice that has been cooked until it has become porridge.
id - obat nyamuk
A substance, such as a spray or coil, used to repel or kill mosquitoes and other insects.
id - panjang tangan
Having physically long arms or an extended reach.
id - penggelapan
The act or process of making something darker; darkening.
id - pucuk dicinta, ulam pun tiba
literal translation: 'the favored shoot, and the dish arrives.'
id - pujaan hati
literal translation: 'the heart's adored one.'
id - tutup-tutupi
To cover or close something physically, often intensively or repeatedly.
id - republik pisang
literal translation: 'banana republic.'
id - ringan tangan
literal translation: 'light-handed' or 'light of hand.'
id - sama sekali
literal translation: 'entirely' or 'completely.'
id - sambil menyelam minum air
Literally, 'to drink water while diving'; to perform the action of drinking while one is diving.
id - sampai titik darah penghabisan
Literally, 'until the blood is exhausted'; to continue until one's physical resources are spent.
id - si jago merah
Literally, 'the valiant red one'; a personified expression referring to something red or splendid in hue.
id - sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga
Literally, 'already fallen, then struck by a ladder'; an image of falling and then being hit by a ladder.
id - tahu diri
To know oneself; to understand one's own situation, abilities, or identity.
id - tajam ke bawah, tumpul ke atas
Literally, having a cutting edge that is sharp on the lower side and blunt on the upper side.
id - tidur
To sleep; to rest in a state of reduced consciousness and diminished responsiveness to external stimuli.
id - timah panas
Literally, hot or molten lead (metal heated until liquid).
id - tong kosong nyaring bunyinya
Literally, an empty barrel makes a loud noise.
id - tutup buku
To close a physical book by shutting its covers.
id