المعنى
A person blamed for others' mistakes.
خلفية ثقافية
In Indonesian media, 'mengkambinghitamkan' is a very common 'power word' used to criticize the government or large corporations. It signals a defense of the 'wong cilik' (common people). The Javanese concept of 'Rukun' (harmony) sometimes leads to scapegoating to avoid direct confrontation with superiors, as direct criticism is often considered impolite. There is a common public perception that in legal cases, the 'big fish' often find a 'kambing hitam' (usually a driver or a low-level staff) to go to jail in their place. During Idul Adha (Feast of Sacrifice), millions of goats are sacrificed. While 'kambing hitam' is an idiom, Indonesians are very familiar with the literal sacrifice of goats, which adds a layer of subconscious weight to the idiom.
Use the Verb Form
To sound like a native speaker in a formal setting, use 'mengkambinghitamkan' instead of just the noun phrase.
Don't use for real guilt
If someone actually did the crime, calling them a 'kambing hitam' makes you sound like you are defending a criminal.
المعنى
A person blamed for others' mistakes.
Use the Verb Form
To sound like a native speaker in a formal setting, use 'mengkambinghitamkan' instead of just the noun phrase.
Don't use for real guilt
If someone actually did the crime, calling them a 'kambing hitam' makes you sound like you are defending a criminal.
Social Media Context
On Indonesian Twitter (X), you'll see 'kambing hitam' used in 'thread' discussions about drama. It's very current!
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct form of the idiom.
Karena tidak mau disalahkan, manajer itu ___ asistennya.
The sentence requires a transitive verb to show the action of the manager blaming the assistant.
Which situation best describes a 'kambing hitam'?
Pilih situasi yang tepat:
A scapegoat is someone blamed for someone else's mistake.
Match the Indonesian phrase with its English meaning.
Pasangkan kata berikut:
These are related idioms that learners often confuse.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Kenapa kamu menangis?' B: 'Aku dituduh mencuri uang kas, padahal bukan aku. Aku cuma jadi ___.'
The context of being falsely accused fits 'kambing hitam'.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Kambing vs Kuda Hitam
بنك التمارين
4 تمارينKarena tidak mau disalahkan, manajer itu ___ asistennya.
The sentence requires a transitive verb to show the action of the manager blaming the assistant.
Pilih situasi yang tepat:
A scapegoat is someone blamed for someone else's mistake.
طابق كل عنصر على اليسار مع زوجه على اليمين:
These are related idioms that learners often confuse.
A: 'Kenapa kamu menangis?' B: 'Aku dituduh mencuri uang kas, padahal bukan aku. Aku cuma jadi ___.'
The context of being falsely accused fits 'kambing hitam'.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةNo, the idiom is fixed. 'Kambing hitam' is the only form, regardless of the person's innocence or the actual color of a goat.
The phrase itself isn't offensive to the person you are talking to, but it describes a negative and offensive action (unfairly blaming someone).
'Kambing hitam' is about blame. 'Tumbal' is about sacrifice. You can be a kambing hitam for a broken vase, but you are a 'tumbal' for a corporate merger or a spiritual ritual.
Add the prefix me- and suffix -kan: 'mengkambinghitamkan'. Example: 'Dia mengkambinghitamkan saya.'
Yes, it is also used in Malaysia (kambing hitam), as they share the same linguistic roots.
Yes, an entire department or even a whole nation can be a 'kambing hitam.'
This comes from the biblical tradition where goats and sheep were distinguished, and the goat was chosen for the 'azazel' ritual.
In slang, people might say 'jadi tumbal' or just 'disalahin terus' (always being blamed), but 'kambing hitam' is so common it's used even in casual talk.
Only if you are explaining a past challenge where you were unfairly treated, but be careful—it can sound like you are complaining.
There isn't a direct single-word idiom, but you could say 'pahlawan' (hero) or 'orang yang bertanggung jawab' (the responsible person).
عبارات ذات صلة
Kuda hitam
similarDark horse / Underdog
Tumbal
specialized formSacrifice / Victim
Cuci tangan
contrastTo wash one's hands of responsibility
Fitnah
builds onSlander / Libel
Ayam sayur
similarA weakling / Coward
