List of loan words in Indonesian

The Indonesian language has absorbed many loanwords from other languages:

Indonesian has also generalized brand names into common (lower-case) nouns. For example, "sanyo" refers to any electrical well pump, regardless of manufacturer. This is similar to the type of generalization that occurs in English words like "xerox" or "tampax" or "polaroid".

Indonesian differs from the Malay language in a number of respects, primarily due to the different influences both languages experienced.

Words borrowed into English (e.g., bamboo, orangutan, dugong, amok) generally entered through Malay language by way of British colonial presence in Malaysia and Singapore. One exception is "bantam", derived from the name of the Indonesian province Banten in Western Java (see Oxford American Dictionary, 2005 edition). Another is "lahar" which is Javanese for a volcanic mudflow. Still other words taken into modern English from Malay/Indonesian probably have other origins (e.g., "satay" from Tamil, or "ketchup" from Chinese).

Contents

List of loanwords

From Minangkabau

Word Meaning Original word
abang older brother abang
anjungan pavilion anjuang
awak you (regional), crew, member awak
gadis girl, virgin gadih, gadis
dara girl, virgin, dove daro, dara
elok good, beautiful elok
nan which, who (connecting word) nan
nian very, really, trully nian
ranah realm, domain ranah: land
rancak beautiful rancak

From Javanese

Word Meaning Original word
adem cool temperature adhem
adiluhung/adiluhur refined, highly sophisticated taste adiluhung
among nurture among
apik neat, nice apik
asri beautiful (scenery/nature), neat, clean, nice asri
ayu beautiful (women), pretty, gorgeous, graceful, elegant ayu
ayom give shade, foster, protect ayom, hangayomi
baluwarti palace fortified wall baluwerti
batik batik mbatik, from: amba-nitik
betot pull suddenly betot
bromocorah criminal bromocorah
buron/buronan runaway or fugitive buron: from buru-an (to be hunted)
canggih sophisticated canggih
edan crazy edhan
empu maestro, master craftsman mpu
gembel pauper, beggar gembhel: refer to shaggy sometimes dirty hair or sheep woll
gerebek raid grebeg: traditional ceremony involving mass competing to grab sacred objects
gilas run over giles
jago skillful, expert jago: rooster
jagoan tough guy, hero jago: rooster
kemben torso wrap kembhen
kesurupan possessed surup: fit, enter
konde bulbous hairdo or hair extension on the back of the head kondhe
lara sadness (poetic) lara: sickness
larung intentionally swept or send away through water (river/sea) larung
lapik base lapik
luhur noble, high dhuwur, luhur
mumpuni accomplished mumpuni
nusantara Indonesian archipelago nusantara
pagar langkan balustrade pagar langkan
resik clean, well maintained resik
selaras harmonious slaras
semberono careless sembrono
semrawut complicated mess, out of order semrawut
tentram peaceful tentrem
tembang song tembang
titisan reincarnated nitis
undakan stages undhak
unduh download unduh
unggah upload munggah

From Sundanese

Word Meaning Original word
aci tapioca flour aci sampeu
amburadul mess, something out of order amburadul
anjangsana high official visiting anjangsana
balairung hall bale riung: traditional building for meeting
bloon (spelled blo-'on) stupid blo'on/o'on
hatur to express, to send (polite) haturkeun
jangkung tall jangkung
juara champion, winner jawara: tough guy, fighter, hero
kedap proof as in "kedap air" (water-proof) kedap
kesima awe, amaze kesima
kesohor famous kasohor
kolot old fashioned kolot: old
lalap raw vegetable, consumed lalab
menyaru pretending, camouflaging menyaru
risih uneasy, uncomfortable risih
patungan chip in, joint-venture, collecting money to buy something for common use patungan
pengaruh influence pangaruh
pemulung waste picker noun of the verb pulung: pick
pepes cooking method using banana leaf wrapping papais: plural form of pais
siksa torture siksa: education
uwa uncle or aunty older than parent uwa

From Betawi

Word Meaning Original word
gelandang football midfielder, bringer gelandang
gelandangan homeless gelandangan
ngamen street performance ngamen
nganggur idle, jobless nganggur
ribet complicated, hard, not easy ribet
timpuk throw timpuk

From Nias

Word Meaning Original word
anda you (respectful) anda

From Batak

Word Meaning Original word
molek beautiful, pretty molek

From Maluku

Word Meaning Original word
beta I, me, myself béta

From Manado

Word Meaning Original word
pasti surely so pasti

From Sanskrit

Word Meaning Original word
adi ultimate (poetic) adhi
agama religion āgama — Vedic principles
aksara letter aksara
angkasa sky akasa
arti meaning krti: understanding
asmara love, passion smara
asrama dormitory ashram
bahasa language bhāsā
bahaya danger bhaya
bakti, bhakti homage, devotion, service etc. bhakti
bangsa nation, race vamca: lineage, dynasty
barat west bharat: India, located west from Indonesia
bayu wind (poetic) vayu: Hindu god of wind
berita news varta
biara monastery vihara
bidadari apsara, nymph, lesser female deities vidyadhari: bearer of knowledge
bina to build bhinna: different, fresh, new
binaraga bodybuilding from combined words bina: to build and raga: body
budi reason, virtue boddhi, related to buddhism
bijaksana wise, wisdom vicakshana
bila when vela (time)
buana world (poetic) bhuvana
budaya culture combination of boddhi: virtue and dhaya: power
bumi earth bhumi
bupati the title of regency/regional leader bhupati: lord of the earth
busana clothing bhusana
cahaya light chāyā
cakram, cakra disk, sphere etc. chakra
cangkang shell çangkha: winged shell attribute of Vishnu
cakrawala horizon chakravala
chandra moon (poetic), lunar chandra: Hindu moon god
citra image chitra
dana donation, funds dhana
dasawarsa decade combined word from dasa: ten and varsa: rain, year
daya power dhaya
denda fine, punishment danda
dewa god deva
dewi goddess devi
desa village desh
dharma, darma duty, good deeds (i.e. charity), truth etc. dharmma
derma alms giving same origin with dharmma
dirgahayu long live dīrgha (long) and āyu (age); āyuṣā = with a life span
duka sadness dukkha
durjana evil, wicked, malicious durjana
gajah elephant gajha
gapura gate gopuram
gaya stylish, fashionable gaya: wealth, worth going to
gita song (poetic) gita
genta bell genta
guna utilize, use, purpose ghuna
guru teacher, guru guru
hina lowly, inferior hinna: small, lesser, petty
istri wife sttri
jagat universe jhagad
jasa merit, service, etc. jasa
jaya glorious jaya
jelata common people janata
jiwa life, soul, sanity jiva
kala time kala
karma karma karma: Hindu-Buddhist concept
karsa initiative, will karsha
kartika star (poetic) kartika
karya work, oeuvre karya
kepala head kaphala
kerja work karya
kencana gold, golden, grand, glorious kanchana: gold
kuda horse kudda
lencana seal, emblem lanchana
maha great, super, hyper, very maha
mahkota crown makuta
mantera mantra mantra
menteri minister (head of a government department) mantri
merdeka freedom, liberty mahardhikka
mitra partner mitra: friend
muka face mukkha
mula to start, to begin mula: origin
naga dragon naga: serpent deities
nama name naam
negara country nagara
negeri city (lit.) nagarī
neraka hell naraka
nirwana an ideal condition of harmony or joy nirvana
nusa island (poetic) nusa
pahala merit, reward (for moral conduct) phala (of fruits, of results)
paksa to force paksha
pendeta priest, today used for christian priest pandhita
pendopo hall mandhapa, through Javanese: pendhapa
pekerti understanding krti: understanding
perkasa powerful, forceful, manly prakasha
perkosa rape prakasha (same origin as perkasa)
perwira high-ranked military official vira: brave or eminent man, hero, chief
pria man/men priya: beloved, dear
puasa fasting upawasa: get near to god (wisdom)
puja worship, adore puja
punya have, possessive verb punia: merit, deserving
pura Hindu temple, city pura: city/walled enclosure
purba ancient purva
puri palace pura: city/walled enclosure
pustaka book pushtaka
puspa flower (poetic) pushpa
putera, putra son putra: prince
puteri, putri daughter, princess putri: princess
raga body raga: to please, to colour
rahasia secret rahasya
raja king raja
raksasa giant, monster rakshasa: demon
rani queen rani
rasa emotion, feeling, taste rasha
ratna jewel, gemstone (poetic) ratna
resmi official rashmi: ray of light
rupa look, appearance rupa
sabda to proclaim (poetic) sabda
samudra ocean samudra
sasana training hall sasana: teaching
sastra literature sashtra
satwa fauna sattva
semadi meditation, contemplation samadhi
sempurna perfect sampurna: entirely, complete
sengsara suffering samsara: continuous flow of reincarnation
senopati general, military leader (archaic) senapati
seteru enemy satru
setia loyal, truthful satya: truth, correct
serba all, everyhing, complete sarva: all or everything
singa lion singha
singgasana throne singha-sana: the lion throne
suami husband svami
suara sound svara
sukma soul suksma: subtle
sunyi quiet (situation) śūnya: zero, nothing
surga heaven svarga-loka
surya sun (poetic), solar surya: Hindu sun god
suka like, happy sukkha
susila modesty, appropriate sushila
swa- do something by oneself sva: self, own
tata order, to arrange tatha
tali rope, string talli
topi hat topi
unta camel ushtra
upacara ceremony uppakara: religious ritual
usaha effort utsaha
usia age yuṣa
utama ultimate, the most important, foremost uttama
utara north uttara
wahana ride, vehicle vahana
wana forest (poetic) vana
wangsa dynasty, royal house vamca: lineage
warna colour varna
warta news varta (same origin as berita)
warta berita news broadcast varta
yudha war, battle (poetic) yuddha

From Tamil

Word Meaning Original word
apam kind of cake apam
gulai kind of curry gulai
kapal boat kappal
kedai foodstall kedai
mangga mango manga

From Arabic

Word Meaning Original word
abdi servant Abd
adab civilize, proper adab
akal reason 'aqlun
akhir end akhirun
akhlak moral akhlaqun
akhirat hereafter akhiratun
alam nature alam
aljabar algebra aljabbar
amal alms giving, good deed aml
anda you (formal) anta
asal origin asl
asli real, original asl
awal beginning awwalun
badan body baddan
bahari maritime, naval bahri: sea
berkah bless, barakah barkatun
daftar list daftarun
dakwah sermon da'wah
dunia world dun-yaa`
fakir poor people, pauper fakr
gaib unseen, other world ghaib
halal religiously lawful halal
haram religiously unlawful haraam
hewan animal haywan
hikmah (deeper) meaning hikma
ilmu knowledge, science ilmi
jadwal schedule jadwal
jahanam cursed, damned jahannam: a name of hell, from hebrew: gehenna
jail prank, practical joke jahil: ignorance
jilbab hijab head covering hijab
kafir infidel kafir
kitab book kitabun
korban sacrifice qurban
kurma date palm qurma
kursi chair kursiyyun
laskar soldier ash'kar
lisan mouthly, mouth litsanun
maaf sorry, to apologise maaf
makna meaning ma'na
maksud meaning, purpose ma'sud
majelis assembly, majlis majlis
masjid mosque masjid
maut dead, deadly mawt
menara tower manārah: lighthouse
miskin poor miskin
mubazir useless mubazir
muflis bankrupt muflis
mungkin maybe mumkin
murtad apostate murtad
munafik hypocrite munaffiq
musim season musim
nafsu desire nafs
najis disgusting, unclean najis
nikah married munakhat
petuah lesson, advice fatwa
pikir to think fikr
rahmat blessing rahmah
sabar patience sabr
sabun soap sabuun
saleh pious shalih
salju snow thalji
sedekah gift, shodaqoh shadaqatun
sehat healthy shihat
selamat safe, well-being salamah
shalat pray shalah
shaum fasting shaum
siasat trick siasatun
surat letter surah
sukur/syukur thankful shukr
sunat circumcision sunnat
syariah Islamic law shari'a
senin monday ttsnain
selasa tuesday tsalasa
rabu wednesday arba'a
kamis thursday khams
khitan circumcision khitan
jumat friday jum'ah
sabtu saturday sabtu
wahid number one, the best wahidun
wajah face wajh
waktu time waqtun
wilayah region, area wilayah
yunani greece yunnan: ionia
zaitun olive zaytun
zakat alms zakkatun
zakar penis and testicles zakkarun
zaman / jaman era zaman
zinah adultery zina

From Persian

Word Meaning Original word
anggur grape angur
bandar port bandar
cadar veil chadoor
dewan assembly, meeting diwan: administration
firdaus eden, bountiful garden pairideaza
gandum wheat gandum
pahlawan hero pahlavi
pasar market/bazaar pasar
piala cup, trophy piyala
piyama pajamas piyama
pesona charm
nakhoda captain of a ship nakhoda
takhta throne tahkti
sihir magic sihir
syahbandar portmaster syahbandar
zirah armor zirah

From Chinese

Almost all loan words in Indonesian with Chinese origin comes from Hokkien dialect. Loan words in Indonesian with Chinese origins.

Word Meaning Original word
amoi Chinese girl 阿妹 amei: sister
angciu cooking wine used for food flavour enchancer 紅酒 ang ciu: red wine
angpao gift money for Chinese New Year 紅包 ang bao
bacang zongzi 粽子 bak cang
bakmie meat noodle 肉麵 bamien
bakso meatball (肉絲?) ba so
bakpau meatbun 肉包 ba pao
bihun rice vermicelli 米粉 bee hoon
cap cai stir fried vegetable dish 雜碎 cha̍p-chhài
cawan cup 茶碗 chawan
cukong tycoon 主公 cu kong
dacin balance scale dacin
gua / gué me (slang) 我 gua
hoki luck, fortune 福氣 hok ki
kakak older brother 哥哥 ko--koh
kecap soybean sauce (ketchup is 'saus tomat', not kecap) 茄汁 (disputed)
kerangkeng cage 間 -keng: room in Hokkien
kue kuih (cake) 粿 kwe
kwetiau kway teow (flat noodle) 粿條 kway teow
lihai skilfull 厲害 li hai
lobak daikon 蘿蔔 lo ba
loténg 2nd storey of a house, attic 樓頂 lo teng
lumpia spring roll 潤餅 lun pia
mak comblang match maker
mesiu gunpowder (not clear whether of Chinese descent or not)
mi / mie noodle 麵 mien
micin MSG (flavouring for cooking) (味精?) vetsin
sempoa abacus, suanpan 算盤 sui poa, suanpan
singkék Chinese newcomer (derogative), pure blooded Chinese, i.e. not of mixed ancestry 新客
siomay shumai (dumpling) 燒賣 shu mai
tahu tofu 豆腐 toufu
teh tea 茶 te
teko tea pot 茶壺 te ko
tionghoa Chinese 中華 chung hwa
tiongkok China 中國 chung kuo

From Portuguese

Word Meaning Original word
almari cupboard armario
armada fleet armada
bangku chair banco: sitting
bank bank banco: financial institution
belanda Dutch, Holland, Holanda
bendéra flag bandeira
beranda verandah varanda
biola violin viola
bola ball bola
(kué) bolu (a type of) cake bolo
bonéka doll boneca
dansa dance (not including traditional dance) dança
garpu fork garfo
geréja church igreja
jendéla window janela
kéju cheese queijo
keméja shirt camisa
keréta chariot/car carreta
lemari closet armário
meja table mesa
mentéga butter manteiga
minggu sunday domingo
natal christmas natal
nona young woman donha
pésta party festa
pita ribbon fita
pompa pump bomba hidráulica
sekolah school escola (Latin: schola)
sepatu shoe sapato
serdadu army soldado
témpo time tempo
terigu wheat trigo
frambus raspberry framboesa (Dutch: framboos)
gardu to guard, watch post guarda (Dutch: garde)
gubernur governor governador (Dutch: Gouverneur)
gratis free (not having to pay) grátis
topik topic tópico

From Dutch

Word Meaning Original word
administrasi administration administratie
arde ground (electricity) aarde
arbéi strawberry aardbei
ban tire band
baskom, waskom washbasin waskom
beha brassiere beha
béngkél workplace winkel: store, originally angle
besuk visiting bezoeken
bioskop cinema bioscoop
buncis green beans boontjes
bruder Roman Catholic friar broeder = brother
buku book boek
dak roof dak
dasi necktie das(je)
émbér bucket emmer
éngsél hinges hengsel
handuk towel handdoek
hanger hanger hanger
kabel cable kabel
kaisar emperor keizer
kakus toilet verb: kakken/noun: kakhuis
kalkun turkey kalkoen
kamar room kamer
kantor office kantoor
karcis ticket kaartjes: plural for diminutive of kaart, card or ticket)
kartu card kaart
kelar ready, finished klaar
keran faucet, tap kraan
knalpot (or kenalpot) muffler (on a motor vehicle) knalpot
kol cabbages kool
kopi coffee koffie
korting discount korting
kulkas ice box or refrigerator koelkast
kusén window frame kozijn
laci deskdrawer laatje: diminutive form of la(de)
lampu lamp lamp
mantel coat mantel
migrasi migration migratie
mises sprinkles muisjes
mobil car, automobile automobiel
motor motorcycle motorfiets
mur / baut nut/bolt moer/bout
nanas pineapple ananas
oom / om uncle oom
oranye orange (colour) oranje
pabrik factory fabriek
pénsil pencil penseel (brush)
persik peach perzik
plafon ceiling plafond, from French
potlot pencil potlood
rékening account rekening
résléting zipper ritssluiting
ribewis driving licence rijbewijs
rokok cigarette roken: to smoke
sekrup screw schroef
selang water hose slang
sempak swim briefs zwempak
setrika clothes iron strijkijzer
setrum current (electricity) stroom
sirkulasi circulation circulatie
solusi solution solutie
spanduk commercial or information banner spandoeken
stopkontak power socket stopcontact
tante aunt tante, from French
tas bag tas
tégel floor tile tegel
telat late te laat (too late)
televisi television televisie
tomat tomato tomaat
wastafel sink wastafel
wortel carrot wortel
suster nun, nurse, sister zuster

From Greek

Word Meaning Original word
demokrasi democracy demokratia
filsafat philosophy philasophia, through Arabic: falsafah
mitos myth mythos
stadion stadium stadion

From Latin

Word Meaning Original word
abolisi abolition abolitia
ad interim temporarily ad interim
akta act (law) actus
amnesti amnesty, state-granted pardon amnestia
almamater revered name for one's university almamater: wise and nurturing mother
forum forum forum
humaniora humanities humaniora
kantata song cantata
kredo creed credo
kualitas quality kualitas, through Dutch: kualiteit
misi mision misi
nihil nil, nothing, zero nihil
nota bene actually, after look carefully nota bene: examine closely
oknum authority figure (police, soldier, prosecutor, judge) that perform unlawful or corrupted deed ocnum: name personal
status status status
universitas university universitas

From French

Word Meaning Original word
akur agree, get along well accord
garnisun garrison garnison
gerilya guerilla guérille
infanteri infantry infanterie
intrik intrigue intrique
kado gift cadeau, through Dutch: kado/cadeau
karoseri the body of vehicle, car, coach, or bus carrosserie
kavaleri cavalry cavalerie
klise cliche cliché
kudeta coup coup d'état
legiun legion légion
letnan lieutenant lieutenant
manuver manouver manouvre
sabotase sabotage sabotage
sepeda bicycle velocipede
supir driver chauffeur

From Japanese

Word Meaning Original word
dakocan black cartoon character takko-chan: octopus character
ebi dried shrimp ébi: shrimp
harakiri suicide hara kiri: cutting one's stomach
kamikaze suicidal soldier kami kaze: the wind of god
kempeitai military police of the Japanese Army (World War II) kempeitai
jibaku struggle jibaku
romusha enslaved worker (during Japanese occupation) romusha
taiso calisthenics taishoo
toko shop
tsunami tsunami tsunami

From English

Word Meaning Original word
apartemen apartment apartment
astronot astronaut astronaut
bisnis business business
gosip gossip gossip
internet internet internet
komputer computer computer
kondom condom condom
mite myth myth
modem modem modem
modern modern modern
pilot pilot pilot
ponsel / hape / handphone cell phone hand phone
radar radar radar
roket rocket rocket
satelit satellite satellite
seks sex sex
sistem system system
stroberi strawberry strawberry
target target target

Bibliography

External links

See also