| Idiom | Meaning | Language |
|---|---|---|
| ada apa | (idiomatic)expression of concern, asking for an explanation;What's going on?What's up?Ada apadi luar?―What's going onoutside? | id |
| ada udang di balik batu | (figurative,idiomatic)there is aconcealedulterior motive, especially in a person's words or in a seeminglygenerousofferordealDalam konteks kebijakan yang dijalankan oleh Partai Komunis... | id |
| air tenang menghanyutkan | (idiomatic)quiet people with many knowledge;still water runs deep | id |
| berseketiduran | tosleeptogether(the meaning is used literally)Synonym:seketiduran; tosleep with(literal)to share abedorbedroomwithSynonym:seketiduran(idiomatic,euphemistic)to havesexual intercoursewithSynonym:bersetubuh | id |
| besar pasak daripada tiang | (idiomatic)spending more than he/she/it earns | id |
| biarin | (literal)synonym ofbiar(“leave it; don't touch/change it”); (idiomatic)Colloquial form ofbiarkan sajaorbiar;let it be/go, let him/her/them,never mind,whatever,so what,no matter, don’t worry about... | id |
| bodo amat | (idiomatic,slang)careless,indifferent,apathetic | id |
| bomat | (idiomatic,slang)careless,indifferent,apathetic | id |
| cinta satu malam | (idiomatic)one-night stand | id |
| durian runtuh | (idiomatic)an unexpectedfortuneoroccurence | id |
| gali lubang, tutup lubang | (idiomatic)to go intodebttopay offanother debt | id |
| jadi orang | (idiomatic)to beadult; (idiomatic)to besuccessful | id |
| kaleng-kaleng | (literal)pluralofkaleng; (idiomatic)not areal deal | id |
| kambing hitam | (idiomatic)scapegoat | id |
| kebutuhan khusus | (idiomatic)special needs; needs for special care, services or accommodations fordisabilitiesSynonym:keperluan khusus | id |
| koboi cacing | (idiomatic)A person who actstoughandbrave, but is actuallyweakandafraidof thingsSynonym:koboi cengeng | id |
| koboi cengeng | (idiomatic)A person who actstoughandbrave, but is actuallyweakandafraidof thingsSynonym:koboi cacing | id |
| kurang kerjaan | (idiomatic,informal)got nothing better to do; got too much time on your hands2019, Anggia Cossito,Butuh Pendamping, Gee Publishing, page343:Elina meletakkan cilok... | id |
| makan | (Singlish,Manglish)Toeat.2023,Alfian Sa'at, “Dreamplay”, inCollected Plays Two, Singapore: Ethos Books,→ISBN:Mdm Zaiton:Youmakanalready? Eat what? | id |
| makan angin | (intransitive,idiomatic)to go for a walk to get some fresh air; (intransitive,idiomatic)to be quiet, sit around, and so on just to... | id |
| masa bodo | (idiomatic,slang)alternative spelling ofmasa bodoh | id |
| masa bodoh | (idiomatic)careless,indifferent,apathetic | id |
| masuk tiga, keluar empat | (idiomatic)to have one'sspendingmore than one'sincomeSynonym:besar pasak daripada tiang | id |
| mendapat pisang terkubak | to gain aprofitorbenefiteffortlessly, without putting in any hard work; to get agodsend/windfallSynonyms:kejatuhan bulan,kejatuhan rezeki,mendapat harta Karun,mendapat kijang teruit,mendapat durian rontokan,mendapat... | id |
| menurut ngana | (colloquial,idiomatic,originallyInternetslang)asarcastic,rhetoricalresponse to an obvious statement:you think?;you don't say?[from 2009?]Synonyms:lu kira,menurut lo,menurut situ2013, Stephany Josephine,The freaky Teppy: Cerita hidup penuh tawa... | id |
| musuh dalam selimut | (idiomatic)an internalspyorenemywho betray their people, amole | id |
| nasi sudah menjadi bubur | (idiomatic)what's done is done;the die is cast | id |
| obat nyamuk | (literally)fly spray,insecticide; (literally)insect repellent: a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects (and arthropods in general)... | id |
| panjang tangan | (idiomatic)one whosteals | id |
| penggelapan | (literally)darkening; (idiomatic,law)embezzlement | id |
| pucuk dicinta, ulam pun tiba | (idiomatic)finally getting something that has been wished for | id |
| pujaan hati | (idiomatic)one's darling;sweetheartSynonyms:buah hati,kekasih | id |
| tutup-tutupi | (transitive,idiomatic)tocover up(toconcealordisguise) | id |
| republik pisang | (politics,idiomatic,derogatory)banana republic: a smallcountry, especially one inCentral Americaor theWest Indies, that is dependent on a singleexportcommodity(traditionally bananas) and that has... | id |
| ringan tangan | (of a person,idiomatic)helping; (of a person,idiomatic)punches out or hits other people easily | id |
| sama sekali | (idiomatic)at allAku belum mulaisama sekali.―I haven't startedat all.; (idiomatic)entirelyUangku sudah habissama sekali.―My money has been spententirely. | id |
| sambil menyelam minum air | (idiomatic)to do two things in one single action;at one blast; inone fell swoop | id |
| sampai titik darah penghabisan | (idiomatic)to thelimit, to the last drop of bloodDia berjuangsampai titik darah penghabisan.He foughtto the last drop of blood. | id |
| si jago merah | (idiomatic)fireSi jago merahmelahap meja hijau itu.Fire devoured that court.(literally, “The splendid red (one)devoured that green table.”) | id |
| sudah jatuh, tertimpa tangga | (idiomatic)getting multiplemisfortunes, one after another (same time or in sequential) | id |
| tahu diri | (idiomatic)toknow one's place; (literal)to understand the situation of oneself, or toknow oneselfin general | id |
| tajam ke bawah, tumpul ke atas | double standards,discriminatory,riggedagainst thedisadvantagedHukumtajam ke bawah, tumpul ke atas.One law for the rich, another for the poor. | id |
| tidur | tosleeptorestin a state ofreducedconsciousness(idiomatic,euphemistic)to havesexual intercourse; (figuratively,usually of an non-animate object)tolie down(totake onahorizontalposition)Synonyms:berbaring,terbaring; (figuratively,usually of a non-animate object)to beunactive(to be... | id |
| timah panas | (idiomatic,colloquial)bullets;ammunition | id |
| tong kosong nyaring bunyinya | (idiomatic)stupid people usually talk big;empty vessels make the most soundSynonym:air beriak tanda tak dalam | id |
| tutup buku | (idiomatic)cessationofrecordingafinancein a trading book | id |
A literal question meaning 'is there anything?' or 'is something the matter?' used to ask whether something exists or is...
idA literal phrase meaning 'there is a shrimp behind the rock.'
idA literal proverb meaning 'calm (or still) water carries away,' describing the behavior of water that appears calm on the...
idTo sleep together or share a bed with someone; a literal description of occupying the same bed for rest or...
idA literal phrase meaning 'the peg (stake) is larger than the post,' picturing an imbalance between components of a structure.
idTo leave something as it is; not to touch, change, or interfere with it.
idLiterally 'very stupid' (from 'bodoh amat').
idColloquial clipped form of 'bodo amat' used to express indifference; 'I don't care'.
idLiterally 'one-night love'; a romantic or sexual encounter that lasts only one night.
idLiterally 'a durian falling'—an occurrence of durian fruit falling from a tree.
idLiteral: to dig a hole and then fill or close it, referring to the physical action of making and covering...
idLiteral: to become a person or to attain the status of being a human individual.
idLiteral: plural of kaleng; cans or tins used to hold food or other substances.
idLiteral: a black goat, referring to an animal of that color.
idLiteral: special requirements or specific needs that differ from the usual or standard.
idLiterally "cowboy worm": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cacing' (worm), a literal phrase with no common neutral usage.
idLiterally "cowboy crybaby": a compound of 'koboi' (cowboy) and 'cengeng' (crying or whiny person), a literal combination used mainly for...
idLiterally 'lacking work': having insufficient work or not enough tasks to occupy oneself.
idTo eat; to consume food.
idLiterally 'to eat wind': to take in or consume wind or air (literal meaning, rarely used).
idLiterally, 'time ignorant'; a literal composition of the words but not commonly used on its own to convey a concrete...
idLiterally, 'time of being ignorant' or 'a period of not knowing'; a direct compositional reading of the words rather than...
idLiterally, 'three go in, four come out'; a compositional image describing a mismatch between input and output.
idLiterally, 'to receive an upturned/overturned banana'; a concrete image referring to an easily obtained object.
idLiterally, 'according to you'; a direct phrasing asking for or attributing an opinion to the addressee.
idAn enemy physically concealed under bedding or inside a blanket.
idRice that has been cooked until it has become porridge.
idA substance, such as a spray or coil, used to repel or kill mosquitoes and other insects.
idHaving physically long arms or an extended reach.
idThe act or process of making something darker; darkening.
idliteral translation: 'the favored shoot, and the dish arrives.'
idliteral translation: 'the heart's adored one.'
idTo cover or close something physically, often intensively or repeatedly.
idliteral translation: 'banana republic.'
idliteral translation: 'light-handed' or 'light of hand.'
idliteral translation: 'entirely' or 'completely.'
idLiterally, 'to drink water while diving'; to perform the action of drinking while one is diving.
idLiterally, 'until the blood is exhausted'; to continue until one's physical resources are spent.
idLiterally, 'the valiant red one'; a personified expression referring to something red or splendid in hue.
idLiterally, 'already fallen, then struck by a ladder'; an image of falling and then being hit by a ladder.
idTo know oneself; to understand one's own situation, abilities, or identity.
idLiterally, having a cutting edge that is sharp on the lower side and blunt on the upper side.
idTo sleep; to rest in a state of reduced consciousness and diminished responsiveness to external stimuli.
idLiterally, hot or molten lead (metal heated until liquid).
idLiterally, an empty barrel makes a loud noise.
idTo close a physical book by shutting its covers.
id