PERIBAHASA DAN UNGKAPAN VERSI INDONESIA – ENGLISH
A
"Ada asap ada api."
o
When there is smoke, there is fire
o
Meaning: There's a cause of
everything.
"Ada gula ada semut."
o
Where there is sugar, there are ants
o
Meaning: People tend to be attracted
to what most benefits them
"Ada udang di balik batu."
o
There is a shrimp behind the stone
o
Meaning: There is a hidden motive
behind an act
"Air beriak tanda tak
dalam."
o
Water with ripples is shallow
o
Meaning: Overly boisterous/
loud-mouthed people often don't know much. To be "all
talk".
"Air cucuran jatuhnya ke
pelimbahan juga."
o
Water dripping from the roof will
eventually go to the reservoir
o
Meaning similar to "Like father
like son" or "An apple never falls far from the tree"
"Air dicincang tak putus."
o
Water minced will not separate.
o
Meaning: Like the seaweed that
clings together after each passing boat separates them, so
too a family will come together with
the passing of each crisis.
o
See also: "Biduk lalu kiambang
bertaut."
"Air susu dibalas dengan air
tuba."
o
Milk is repaid with poison
o
Meaning: A good deed that is repaid
by a bad deed
"Air tenang
menghanyutkan."
o
Still waters run deep.
o
Meaning: Never underestimate a quiet
person, for he may have qualities that belie his
quiet nature.
"Air tenang jangan disangka
tiada buaya"
o
Never think that still water doesn't
have crocodiles.
o
Meaning: Never take for granted a
peaceful outlook since danger may lurk beneath.
"Anak dipangku dilepaskan,
beruk di rimba disusukan."
o
A child in the lap is let go, a
monkey from the forest is nursed instead.
o
Meaning: Changing priorities.
"Alah bisa karena biasa."
o
Practice makes perfect.
o
Meaning: If we practice enough, we
can do really well.
"Anjing menggonggong, kafilah
tetap berlalu."
o
The dogs are barking, the caravan
moves on
o
Meaning: Useless protest, criticism
or sarcasm.
"Asam di gunung, garam di laut
bertemu dalam satu belanga."
o
Tamarind in the mountain, salt in
the sea meet in the one pot.
o
Tamarind and salt are two of the
most important and frequently used spices in Indonesia.
o
Meaning: Even things that are far
apart can meet as one. Usually used to settle differences
between two rivalries or to express a relationship from two very different entities. Or, in
between two rivalries or to express a relationship from two very different entities. Or, in
distant places can meet and
eventually get married, etc.
B
"Bagai air di daun talas."
o
Like water on a talas leaf.
o
Talas leaves have a thin waxy layer
and therefore are quite waterproof.
o
Meaning: Two different things/people
that do not get along.
o
Sometimes used for a person who does
not have a firm conviction.
Bagai aur dengan tebing
o
Like bamboo and the river bank
o
Meaning: Each is dependent of the
other for mutual survival.
o
See also: "Bagai kuku dengan
isi".
"Bagai kerakap di atas batu,
hidup segan mati tak mau."
o
Like a kerakap leaf on a rock,
unwilling to live, unwilling to die.
o
Kerakap is the wide leaf of sirih
tree and is extraordinarily resilient and long lasting.
However, as with other leaves, once
plucked from the tree, it is bound to die.
o
Meaning: Fighting a losing battle.
"Bagai kuku dengan isi."
o
Like a fingernail and the flesh
beneath.
o
Meaning: Each is dependent on the
other for mutual survival.
o
See also: "Bagai aur dengan
tebing".
"Bagai makan buah
simalakama."
o
As if eating Simalakama fruit.
o
The story goes that if one is
presented with the fruit of Simalakama and eats it, his father
would die, if not, mother would die
instead.
o
Meaning: In a no-win situation where
all the possible solutions have a terrible or
undesirable outcome.
"Bagai mendapat durian
runtuh."
o
Like obtaining a fallen durian.
o
Meaning: When a durian tree's fruit
is ripe, many of the durians will fall to the ground.
This proverb refers to someone who
has suddenly gained much wealth/ good fortune.
"Bagai menatang minyak yang
penuh."
o
Like carrying a cupful of oil.
o
Meaning: A person who is extremely
cautious in doing something. Often used to describe
one's love for a child.
"Bagai pungguk merindukan
bulan."
o
Like an owl craving for the moon.
o
Meaning: To wish for something
impossible.
"Bagai telur diujung
tanduk."
o
Like an egg on the tip of a horn.
o
Meaning: In a very difficult/ tricky
situation. The egg will soon fall and break.
"Bagaikan air dengan
minyak."
o
Like water and oil.
o
Meaning: Opposite/ clash; do not go
well together.
"Berakit-rakit ke hulu,
berenang-renang ke tepian. Bersakit-sakit dahulu, bersenang-senang
kemudian."
o
Paddle to the mouth of the river,
swim down to the edge. Go through pain or hardship
first, then experience fun and
happiness."
o
Often, both couplet are cited.
Sometimes just the first couplet. Rafting up the stream
signifies arduous effort, swimming
(downhill) is the fun and easy part.
o
Meaning: No pain, no gain.
"Berat sama dipikul, ringan
sama dijinjing."
o
Heavy, we carry together, light, we
carry together
o
Meaning: Collaboration, sharing of
burden irrespective of the weight (through thick and
thin).
"Bermain air basah, bermain api
hangus."
o
Playing with water, wet. Playing
with fire, burned.
o
Meaning: Every action has its
consequences.
"Bersakit-sakit dahulu
bersenang-senang kemudian."
o
The second couplet of
"Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian."
o
Meaning: No pain no gain.
"Bersatu kita teguh, bercerai
kita runtuh."
o
United we stand, divided we fall
"Besar pasak dari pada
tiang."
o
The peg is greater than the stake
o
In camping, pegs for the camp should
be smaller than the stakes. It would be a waste if we
make the pegs greater than the
stakes.
o
Meaning: Expense is bigger than
income.
"Biduk lalu kiambang
bertaut."
o
Hull gets past seaweed gets together
again.
o
Meaning: Like the seaweed that
clings to each other after each passing boat separates
them, so too a family will come
together with the passing of each crisis.
o
See also: "Air dicincang tak
putus"
"Buruk muka cermin
dibelah."
o
Ugly face, the mirror is split.
o
Meaning: Blaming the wrong
reason/cause or creating a scapegoat.
D
"Dimana ada kemauan, di situ ada
jalan."
o
Where there is a will, there is a
way
"Dimana bumi dipijak, disitu
langit dijunjung."
o
Wherever ground is stood on, the sky
is hold high
o
Meaning: Wherever we live, we must
observe the local custom.
"Dimana tak da lang, aku lah lang,
kata belalang."
o
Where there are no eagles, I am the
one, said the grasshopper.
o
Here's a rhyming play in the
proverb. The first and second "lang" are Eagle = Elang,
which rhymes with Grasshopper =
Belalang.
o
Meaning: Where's no top dogs, underdogs
will be seen as one.
"Duduk sama rendah, tegak sama
tinggi."
o
Sitting the same low, standing the
same height
o
Meaning: Equality, emancipation.
"Dunia tak selebar daun
kelor."
o
The world isn't as wide as kelor
leaves.
o
Meaning: The opposite of It's A
Small World.
o
Usually to comfort a broken heart,
suggesting "Hey, there are still plenty of girls/guys out
there."
G
"Gajah bertarung lawan gajah,
pelanduk mati di tengah-tengah."
o
Elephants wage war against elephants,
deers die in the midst
o
Meaning: When prominent persons
fights, commoners would suffer.
"Gajah di pelupuk mata tak
tampak, semut diseberang lautan tampak."
o
An elephant on the eyelid can't be
seen, but an ant on the other side of the sea can.
o
Meaning: An egoistic person can't
realize his/her own mistakes, but can always find
mistakes of others
•
"Gajah mati meninggalkan
gadingnya, macan mati meninggalkan belangnya, manusia mati
meninggalkan namanya."
o
An elephant dies leaves its tusk, a
tiger dies leaves its stripes, a person dies leaves his/her
name.
o
Meaning: Someone will be remembered
by his/her accolades.
•
"Guru kencing berdiri, murid
kencing berlari."
o
The teacher urinates while standing,
the pupil urinates while running."
o
Meaning: A junior will always
mimic/do what the senior does.
H
•
"Habis manis sepah
dibuang."
o
Literally: Habis = Finished, Manis =
Sweet, Sepah = Tasteless, Dibuang = Thrown away.
o
Illustrated when someone is enjoying
sugar canes: After the sweet part is finished and
becomes tasteless, the cane is
thrown away.
o
Meaning: We only call our friends if
we need help, and we don't help our friends in need
(egoistic act)
•
"Hati gajah sama dilapah, hati
tungau sama dicecah"
o
Translation: An elephant is still an
elephant when flayed; a flea is still a flea if you proke
at it.
o
Meaning: You get what you get - if
you get a lot of something, then you have a lot, if you
get a small amount of something, you
only have a small amount.
I
•
"Ingin hati memeluk gunung, apa
daya tangan tak sampai."
o
Translation: The will of the heart
is to hug the mountain, but the arm is not long enough.
o
Meaning: This proverb is often used
to illustrate a person who does not have enough
resources to do/accomplish his
goal/wish.
J
•
"Jadilah kumbang, hidup sekali
di taman bunga, jangan jadi lalat, hidup sekali di bukit sampah."
o
Be a bee, lived once in a flowery
garden, not a fly, lived once in heaps of garbage.
o
Meaning: Try to be well and useful
life.
•
"Jadilah orang pandai bagai
padi yang merunduk."
o
Be a smart man, like drooping paddy.
o
Paddy droops more as it matures
since its kernel is getting heavier.
o
Meaning: To be a smart man you need
to be humble. Or: A smart man is usually humble.
See Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya.
K
•
"Kacang lupa kulitnya."
o
Translation: A nut forgets its shell
o
This proverb is often used to
illustrate a person who forgets where he/she come from (e.g.
hometown, family, heritage, etc.)
•
"Kalah jadi abu, menang jadi
arang."
o
Translation: Loser becomes ashes,
winner becomes (burnt) coal.
o
This proverb is often used to
illustrate a lose/lose situation, where both winner and loser
gain nothing from the conflict.
•
"Kalau tak ingin terlimbur
pasang, jangan berumah di tepi laut."
o
If you don't want to get flooded,
don't build a house next to the sea
"Kalo di hutan tak ada singa,
beruk rabun bisa menjadi raja."
o
If there were no lion in the jungle,
a blind monkey can be king.
•
"Karena mulut badan
binasa."
o
Because of the mouth the body is
destroyed.
•
"Karena nila setitik, rusak
susu sebelanga."
o
One drop of indigo stains the whole
cauldron of milk.
o
The word "indigo" here
means something like ink.
o
Meaning: one ill behaviour may cause
others to forget the kindness we've done.
•
"Kasih anak sepanjang galah,
kasih ibu sepanjang jalan."
o
The love from a child is as long as
a stick, the love from a mother is as long as a road
o
Meaning: A mother's love is
neverending
•
"Ke gunung sama mendaki, ke
lurah sama menurun."
o
Together we climb the mountain,
together we climb down the hill
o
Meaning: Together in good and bad
times
•
"Keluar mulut harimau, masuk
mulut buaya."
o
Out from the tiger's mouth, into the
crocodile's mouth.
o
Meaning: To describe a person who
has just gotten out from a precarious situation just to
get into another precarious
situation.
•
"Kemarau setahun dihapuskan
hujan sehari."
o
A year of dry season (summer) is
erased by a day of rain
o
Meaning: A long dispute has been
forgoten by love, or sometimes a long time of goodness
has been forgotten by one badness.
•
"Kepala boleh panas, tetapi
hati harus tetap dingin."
o
Head can be heated but heart must
stay cool.
o
Meaning: No matter how stressed or
angry we are, we have to solve a problem with
rationale.
o
Meaning: A dispute can only be
resolved by discussing the problem openly and coolly.
•
"Kepala sama hitam, isi hati
siapa tahu."
o
The hair is all colored the same
(black in this case), but no one will know the inside of
one's heart
o
Meaning: A different way of thinking
in every person
•
"Kura-kura dalam perahu,
pura-pura tidak tahu."
o
Literally means the turtle in the
boat, pretending not to know.
o
Meaning: People say it to imply that
somebody knows more than he or she is letting on.
L
•
"Lain ladang lain belalang,
lain lubuk lain ikannya."
o
Different fields have different
insect, different ponds have different fish.
o
Meaning: Different people have
different personality.
o
Meaning: Different background means
different thinking.
o
Meaning: Different culture means
different custom.
•
"Lancar kaji karena diulang,
lancar jalan karena ditempuh."
o
We spell fluently because we keep
repeating it. We know the route because we pass it
often.
o
Meaning: Be dilligent in learning.
•
"Lebih baik satu burung
ditangan dari pada sepuluh burung dipohon."
o
Better one bird in the hand than 10
birds on the tree.
o
Meaning: Better something than
nothing.
•
"Lempar batu sembunyi
tangan."
o
Throw a stone but hide the hand.
o
Meaning: Someone who doesn't want to
be responsible for his/her doing.
•
"Luka di kaki, sakit seluruh
badan."
o
A pain in the feet, the whole body
feels it.
o
Meaning: To describe a unity of a
society
M
•
"Malu bertanya, sesat di
jalan."
o
Embarrassed to ask will result in
getting lost.
o
Meaning: Asking question is the only
way to learn
•
"Mati satu tumbuh seribu."
o
One dead replaced by one thousand.
o
Used to describe the undying spirit
of a movement (for instance during the struggle for
independence)
o
Also: "Gugur satu tumbuh
seribu." The word 'gugur' means similar as 'mati' (die), but it
usually relates only with dead leaves (when a leaf dries it will fall from its tree) or
somebody who dies in honour, like the heroes. Thus, "Gugur satu tumbuh seribu" sounds
more patriotic than "Mati satu tumbuh seribu."
usually relates only with dead leaves (when a leaf dries it will fall from its tree) or
somebody who dies in honour, like the heroes. Thus, "Gugur satu tumbuh seribu" sounds
more patriotic than "Mati satu tumbuh seribu."
•
"Memancing di air keruh."
o
Fishing in a murky water.
o
Meaning: Taking advantage of a
murky/confusing situation.
•
"Memang lidah tidak
bertulang."
o
The tongue indeed has no bone.
o
Meaning: To describe, with disgust,
a person who has no principle, who kept changing
what he/she says, who is a big time
liar.
•
"Menang jadi arang, kalah jadi
abu."
o
Meaning: To describe a no win
situation
o
Same as: Bagai makan buah
simalakama.
o
See: Kalah jadi abu, menang jadi
arang
•
"Mengharap burung terbang
tinggi, punai di tangan dilepaskan."
o
Meaning: Expecting something bigger,
and we let go what we already have.
o
Example: A gamble who gamble away
his paycheck expecting to win big but ends up with
nothing.
•
"Mengharapkan hujan turun, air
di tempayan ditumpahkan."
o
Eager for the rain to fall, water
already stored is thrown away.
o
Same as: Mengharap burung terbang
tinggi, punai di tangan dilepaskan
•
"Menuhuk kawan seiring
menggunting dalam lipatan."
o
To punch a comrade, to cut inside a
fold.
o
Meaning: To describe a traitor (or
traitorous acts)
•
"Merdeka atau mati."
o
Freedom or death.
o
Meaning: We have to fight for our
freedom as long as it takes, and we shall not mind the
death following our struggle for
independence.
o
That is a very common motto in
Indonesian wars against the Dutch colonialisation, usually written
"Merdeka ataoe mati", because at that time, 'u' was still written as
'oe', just like the current 'y' was 'j', the 'j' was 'dj', and the 'c' was
'tj'.
N
•
"Nasi telah menjadi
bubur."
o
The rice has become porridge
o
Meaning: Describe, usually with
regret, something that has already happenned and is
irreversible.
P
•
"Panas mentari di kepala orang
banyak, panas hati dirasa sendiri."
o
The heat of the sun is felt by
everybody, the heat in the heart can only be felt by oneself.
Meaning:
There is no point of nurturing a contempt/hate/anger inside us. Just let it go!
•
"Patah tumbuh hilang
berganti."
o
Whatever broken will grow back,
whatever lost will be replaced.
o
Meaning: There will be a replacement
for everything.
o
Usually is used to describe the
undying spirit of a movement (for instance, during the
struggle for independence.)
o
Similar to: Mati satu tumbuh seribu.
•
"Pikir dahulu pendapatan, sesal
kemudian tidak berguna."
o
Thinking first is an asset, regret
later is useless.
o
Meaning: Think everything carefully
before committing yourself because there is no point
for regretting it later.
•
"Pikir itu pelita hati."
o
Thought is the light of the heart
o
Meaning: Think!
•
"Pucuk dicinta ulam tiba."
o
Meaning: To get something one
silently expects/wishes for.
R
•
"Rajin pangkal pandai."
o
Meaning: diligence is the beginning
of brilliance
•
"Rumput tetangga selalu lebih
hijau."
o
The neighbour's lawn/grass is always
greener.
o
Meaning: we are never satisfied with
our posessions.
S
•
"Sambil menyelam minum air."
o
Drink water while diving
o
Meaning: Do two things at one go
•
"Sejelek-jelek pemimpin pasti
punya anak buah, sebaik-baik pemimpin pasti punya musuh."
o
No matter how bad a leader is he/she
will have followers, no matter how good a leader is
he/she will have enemies.
o
Meaning: There is always someone who
loves you, and someone who hates you.
•
"Sekali lancung ke ujian,
seumur hidup orang tak percaya."
o
Once a person cheats in an exam,
forever people will distrust him.
o
Meaning: Once you lost the trust of
someone, it is almost impossible to gain it back.
•
"Sekali merengkuh dayung, dua
tiga pulau terlampaui."
o
One stroke at the paddle, two and
three islands have passed.
o
Meaning: Do multiple tasks at one
go.
•
"Sekali bah, sekali pantai
berubah"
o
