Phrase in 30 Seconds
Jalan keluar literally means 'exit way,' but it's the most common Indonesian idiom for finding a solution to any problem.
- Means: A way to solve a difficult situation or conflict.
- Used in: Business meetings, family arguments, or personal dilemmas.
- Don't confuse: With 'pintu keluar' which is strictly a physical door exit.
Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:
Bedeutung
The way to solve a problem
Kultureller Hintergrund
The phrase is central to 'Musyawarah' (deliberation). Finding a 'jalan keluar' is preferred over winning an argument to maintain 'Rukun' (harmony). In Indonesian offices, saying 'tidak ada jalan keluar' (there is no way out) is often seen as too blunt or negative. People prefer to say 'masih mencari' (still looking). Due to extreme traffic, 'jalan keluar' is used daily in a literal sense to find 'jalan tikus' (small alleys/shortcuts) to escape congestion. The term is often used in headlines regarding 'Restorative Justice,' where a 'jalan keluar' is sought outside of a courtroom trial.
Pair with 'Mencari'
If you don't know what to say, 'Mari kita mencari jalan keluar' is a perfect, safe sentence in any difficult situation.
Not for Math
Don't use it for simple math answers. Use 'jawaban' or 'hasil' instead.
Pair with 'Mencari'
If you don't know what to say, 'Mari kita mencari jalan keluar' is a perfect, safe sentence in any difficult situation.
Not for Math
Don't use it for simple math answers. Use 'jawaban' or 'hasil' instead.
The 'Jalan Tengah' trick
If you are in a negotiation, use 'jalan tengah' instead of 'jalan keluar' to sound more like a native speaker looking for a compromise.
Face-Saving
Using 'jalan keluar' is a polite way to suggest a change of plan without telling someone they are wrong.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.
Kita tidak bisa setuju. Kita harus mencari ________ yang adil.
In a disagreement, you look for a 'jalan keluar' (solution/compromise).
Which sentence uses the idiom figuratively?
Pilih kalimat yang menggunakan 'jalan keluar' sebagai kiasan (idiom):
Solving debt (utang) is a metaphorical use of the phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Aplikasi ini error terus!' B: 'Tenang, ________ sementaranya adalah restart HP kamu.'
A solution to a technical error is a 'jalan keluar'.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Match 'Jalan Keluar' with the most appropriate context:
A peace treaty is a high-level 'jalan keluar' for a conflict.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Jalan Keluar vs. Pintu Keluar
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenKita tidak bisa setuju. Kita harus mencari ________ yang adil.
In a disagreement, you look for a 'jalan keluar' (solution/compromise).
Pilih kalimat yang menggunakan 'jalan keluar' sebagai kiasan (idiom):
Solving debt (utang) is a metaphorical use of the phrase.
A: 'Aplikasi ini error terus!' B: 'Tenang, ________ sementaranya adalah restart HP kamu.'
A solution to a technical error is a 'jalan keluar'.
Match 'Jalan Keluar' with the most appropriate context:
A peace treaty is a high-level 'jalan keluar' for a conflict.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
No, that is incorrect. Just use 'solusi' or 'jalan keluar'.
The opposite is 'jalan buntu' (dead end).
Yes, but 'pintu keluar' is more common for doors. 'Jalan keluar' is better for a driveway or a route.
Yes, it is used in Malaysia and Singapore with the same meaning.
You say 'Saya menemukan jalan keluar.'
No, it is a noun phrase. You need a verb like 'mencari' or 'menjadi' with it.
Yes! It shows you are a problem solver.
Usually, yes. It implies a successful resolution to a problem.
'Jalan keluar' is any solution. 'Jalan tengah' is specifically a compromise.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Jalan buntu
contrastDead end / Deadlock
Jalan tengah
specialized formMiddle ground / Compromise
Jalan pintas
similarShortcut
Solusi
synonymSolution
Pintu keluar
similarExit door
Akal-akalan
contrastA trick / Deceptive solution
Wo du es verwendest
At the Office
Bos: Proyek ini terlambat dua minggu. Apa rencananya?
Staf: Kami sedang mencari jalan keluar terbaik, Pak.
With a Friend
Andi: Aku bertengkar lagi dengan pacarku.
Budi: Tenang, kita pasti bisa temukan jalan keluar.
In a Store
Pembeli: Barang ini rusak, tapi saya sudah buang bonnya.
Penjual: Mari kita cari jalan keluar. Mungkin bisa tukar barang lain?
Traffic Jam
Supir: Macet total! Kita tidak bisa lewat sini.
Penumpang: Coba cari jalan keluar lewat gang kecil itu.
Family Meeting
Ibu: Uang sekolah adik sangat mahal bulan ini.
Ayah: Kita harus diskusi untuk cari jalan keluar.
Tech Support
User: Laptop saya hang terus saat buka aplikasi ini.
Teknisi: Jalan keluar sementaranya adalah dengan install ulang.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of a 'Jalan' (Road) that leads 'Keluar' (Out) of a dark tunnel. The tunnel is your problem, and the road is your solution.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine you are in a maze (the problem). You look up and see a bright green 'EXIT' sign hovering over a path. That path is the 'Jalan Keluar'.
Rhyme
Cari jalan, cari keluar, masalah hilang, hati pun segar.
Story
Budi was stuck in a deep hole (a big problem). He looked for a ladder, but there was none. Then he saw a small 'jalan' (path) that led 'keluar' (out) to the surface. He followed it and was happy. Every time you have a problem, look for that small path.
In Other Languages
Similar to the English 'way out' or 'exit strategy.' In many languages, the concept of 'exiting' a problem is a common spatial metaphor for resolution.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Today, whenever you face a small problem (like a missing sock or a difficult email), say out loud: 'Saya harus mencari jalan keluar.'
Review this phrase on Day 1, Day 3, and Day 7. Focus on the difference between 'jalan keluar' and 'jalan buntu'.
Aussprache
The 'j' is like the 'j' in 'jump'. The 'a' is short like in 'father'.
The 'e' is a schwa (like the 'a' in 'about'). The 'u' and 'a' are distinct vowels.
Formalitätsspektrum
Kita perlu menemukan jalan keluar bagi permasalahan ini. (General problem solving)
Kita harus cari jalan keluar untuk masalah ini. (General problem solving)
Cari jalan keluar yuk buat masalah ini. (General problem solving)
Gimana nih, cari way out-nya dong. (General problem solving)
Derived from the Malay words 'jalan' (path/road) and 'keluar' (to go out). It reflects a spatial logic common in Austronesian languages where movement and direction are used to describe mental states.
Wusstest du?
In Indonesian, the opposite of 'jalan keluar' is 'jalan buntu' (a dead-end road/deadlock).
Kulturelle Hinweise
The phrase is central to 'Musyawarah' (deliberation). Finding a 'jalan keluar' is preferred over winning an argument to maintain 'Rukun' (harmony).
“Mari kita musyawarah untuk cari jalan keluar.”
In Indonesian offices, saying 'tidak ada jalan keluar' (there is no way out) is often seen as too blunt or negative. People prefer to say 'masih mencari' (still looking).
“Kami masih mencari jalan keluar terbaik.”
Due to extreme traffic, 'jalan keluar' is used daily in a literal sense to find 'jalan tikus' (small alleys/shortcuts) to escape congestion.
“Lewat gang ini saja, ini jalan keluar dari macet.”
The term is often used in headlines regarding 'Restorative Justice,' where a 'jalan keluar' is sought outside of a courtroom trial.
“Mediasi adalah jalan keluar bagi kasus ini.”
Gesprächseinstiege
Jika kamu punya masalah besar di kantor, bagaimana kamu mencari jalan keluar?
Ceritakan saat kamu menemukan jalan keluar yang kreatif untuk sebuah masalah.
Menurutmu, apakah selalu ada jalan keluar untuk setiap konflik politik?
Bagaimana budaya 'Musyawarah' membantu orang Indonesia menemukan jalan keluar?
Häufige Fehler
Saya mencari pintu keluar untuk masalah ini.
Saya mencari jalan keluar untuk masalah ini.
L1 Interference
Apa jawaban keluar dari masalah ini?
Apa jalan keluar dari masalah ini?
L1 Interference
Kita butuh jalan masuk.
Kita butuh jalan keluar.
L1 Interference
Jalan keluar itu adalah sangat sulit.
Jalan keluar itu sangat sulit.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Salida / Solución
Spanish often uses 'solución' more frequently in casual speech than Indonesian uses 'solusi'.
Issue / Sortie
'Issue' in French can also mean the 'result' or 'outcome,' which 'jalan keluar' does not.
Ausweg
German also has 'Lösung,' which is used for more technical or mathematical answers.
解決策 (Kaiketsusaku) / 出口 (Deguchi)
Japanese is less likely to use the literal word for 'exit' in daily conversation to mean 'solution'.
مخرج (Makhraj)
In Arabic, 'Makhraj' is also a technical term in linguistics for the point of articulation of sounds.
出路 (Chūlù)
In Chinese, 'Chūlù' often carries a stronger connotation of 'career path' or 'future prospects' than the Indonesian version.
해결책 (Haegyeolchaek) / 돌파구 (Dolpagu)
Korean metaphors often focus on 'breaking through' (dolpa) rather than just 'exiting' (keluar).
Saída
Portuguese speakers might use 'jeitinho' for a specific type of informal 'jalan keluar'.
Spotted in the Real World
“Mungkin ini jalan keluar bagi kita...”
A song about a couple deciding to break up as the only 'way out' of their constant unhappiness.
“Pemerintah mencari jalan keluar untuk atasi kemacetan Jakarta.”
A report on new public transportation policies.
“Gak ada jalan keluar lain, Rangga.”
A dramatic moment where the protagonist feels trapped by her circumstances.
“Capek banget kerja, tapi belum nemu jalan keluar.”
A viral tweet about burnout and looking for a new career path.
“Ikal berusaha mencari jalan keluar agar sekolah mereka tidak ditutup.”
The children in the story are trying to save their poor school from being demolished.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both translate to 'exit' in English.
Use 'pintu' for the physical door you touch. Use 'jalan' for the path or the metaphorical solution.
Learners use 'cara' (way/method) thinking it's the same as 'jalan' (way/road).
'Cara keluar' sounds like 'the technique of exiting' (e.g., how to open a latch). 'Jalan keluar' is the idiomatic standard for a solution.
Häufig gestellte Fragen (10)
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.
basic understandingNo, that is incorrect. Just use 'solusi' or 'jalan keluar'.
common mistakesThe opposite is 'jalan buntu' (dead end).
basic understandingYes, but 'pintu keluar' is more common for doors. 'Jalan keluar' is better for a driveway or a route.
usage contextsYes, it is used in Malaysia and Singapore with the same meaning.
cultural usageYou say 'Saya menemukan jalan keluar.'
grammar mechanicsNo, it is a noun phrase. You need a verb like 'mencari' or 'menjadi' with it.
grammar mechanicsYes! It shows you are a problem solver.
practical tipsUsually, yes. It implies a successful resolution to a problem.
basic understanding'Jalan keluar' is any solution. 'Jalan tengah' is specifically a compromise.
comparisons
