Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'anak kecil' to refer to a young child, typically from toddlerhood to about ten years old.
- Means: A young human child (max 15 words)
- Used in: Family gatherings, parks, and general descriptions of people (max 15 words)
- Don't confuse: With 'bayi' (baby) or 'remaja' (teenager) (max 15 words)
توضیح در سطح شما:
معنی
Referring to a young human
زمینه فرهنگی
Children are often called 'adek' or 'dek' by strangers as a sign of affection, regardless of whether they are related. The concept of 'gemas' (an irresistible urge to pinch something cute) is frequently directed at 'anak kecil'. Children are considered semi-divine in their early years, and many ceremonies protect the 'anak kecil' from negative spirits. In this matrilineal society, the 'anak kecil' is the responsibility of the whole extended family, especially the mother's brothers.
Word Order
Always remember: Noun first, then Adjective. It's 'Child Small', not 'Small Child'.
Age Sensitivity
Don't call a teenager 'anak kecil' unless you want to annoy them!
Word Order
Always remember: Noun first, then Adjective. It's 'Child Small', not 'Small Child'.
Age Sensitivity
Don't call a teenager 'anak kecil' unless you want to annoy them!
Using 'Si'
Add 'Si' before 'anak kecil' to make it sound more like a specific character or to add a touch of storytelling flavor.
Cheek Pinching
If you see someone pinching an 'anak kecil's' cheeks, it's a sign of affection called 'gemas', not aggression!
خودت رو بسنج
Fill in the blank with the correct phrase.
Lihat! Ada ____ ____ yang sedang lari di taman.
The noun 'anak' must come before the adjective 'kecil'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I have two little children'?
Pilih kalimat yang benar:
The number comes before the noun phrase.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Apakah film ini untuk orang dewasa? B: Tidak, film ini untuk ____.
The context of a non-adult film implies it's for children.
Match the phrase to the situation.
When an adult is crying over a small problem, you might say:
'Seperti' (like) is used for comparisons.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Age Groups in Indonesian
بانک تمرین
5 تمرینهاLihat! Ada ____ ____ yang sedang lari di taman.
The noun 'anak' must come before the adjective 'kecil'.
Pilih kalimat yang benar:
The number comes before the noun phrase.
A: Apakah film ini untuk orang dewasa? B: Tidak, film ini untuk ____.
The context of a non-adult film implies it's for children.
When an adult is crying over a small problem, you might say:
'Seperti' (like) is used for comparisons.
🎉 امتیاز: /5
سوالات متداول
12 سوالUsually from 2 to 10 years old. Before 2, they are 'bayi'. After 10, they are 'anak-anak' or 'remaja'.
No, Indonesian is a gender-neutral language. 'Anak kecil' can be a boy or a girl.
Yes, but usually you'd say 'anak saya' (my child). You use 'anak kecil' when describing him to someone who doesn't know him.
'Anak kecil' is neutral and polite. 'Bocah' is more informal and can be slightly slangy.
The formal way is 'anak-anak kecil', but in casual speech, 'anak kecil' often suffices.
Yes, it implies they are being immature or childish. Use it carefully!
You can say 'kucing kecil' (small cat), but 'anak kecil' is specifically for humans.
'Bocil' is a modern slang portmanteau of 'Bocah Kecil'. It's very common on the internet.
Yes, but 'kanak-kanak' is much more formal and usually found in writing or formal titles.
You say 'Waktu saya masih anak kecil...'
In this context, it refers to both size and age/stage of life.
No, 'anak muda' means 'young person' and is used for teenagers and young adults.
عبارات مرتبط
Anak-anak
synonymChildren (plural)
Bocah
similarKid/Kiddo
Si kecil
specialized formThe little one
Kanak-kanak
specialized formChildhood/Children
Anak muda
contrastYouth/Young adult
Bayi
contrastBaby
کجا استفاده کنیم
At the park
A: Lihat anak kecil itu, dia berani sekali!
B: Iya, dia sedang naik perosotan tinggi.
Meeting a neighbor
Neighbor: Ini anak kecil siapa?
You: Ini keponakan saya dari Bandung.
In a toy store
Shopkeeper: Cari mainan untuk usia berapa?
Customer: Untuk anak kecil usia lima tahun.
At a wedding
Guest A: Banyak sekali anak kecil di pesta ini.
Guest B: Betul, suasananya jadi ramai ya.
Watching the news
News Anchor: Seorang anak kecil dilaporkan hilang di hutan.
Viewer: Aduh, kasihan sekali anak itu.
In a restaurant
Waiter: Mau pesan menu apa?
Parent: Ada menu khusus untuk anak kecil?
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of 'Anak' as 'A New Kid' and 'Kecil' as 'Kinda Chill' (because little kids are chill until they cry!).
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a giant adult standing next to a very tiny child. The child is so 'kecil' (small) they only reach the adult's knee. Focus on the contrast in size.
Rhyme
Anak kecil, badannya mungil. (Little child, tiny body.)
Story
Once there was an 'Anak' who found a 'Kecil' toy. He was a 'Anak Kecil' playing with a 'Mainan Kecil'.
In Other Languages
Similar to 'Niño pequeño' in Spanish or 'Chisai ko' in Japanese, where a general word for child is paired with the word for small.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Go to an Indonesian YouTube channel for kids (like 'Lagu Anak Indonesia') and count how many times you see children in the video, saying 'anak kecil' each time.
Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Focus on the word order: Noun then Adjective.
تلفظ
The 'k' at the end is a glottal stop, like the 't' in 'button' for some English speakers.
The 'e' is a schwa (like 'a' in 'about'). The 'c' is always pronounced like 'ch' in 'church'.
طیف رسمیت
Anak tersebut sedang bermain. (Describing an action)
Anak kecil itu sedang bermain. (Describing an action)
Bocah itu lagi main. (Describing an action)
Si bocil lagi main. (Describing an action)
Derived from Proto-Austronesian roots. 'Anak' (offspring) and 'Kecil' (small) have been paired in Malay for centuries to distinguish young children from infants and youths.
نکته جالب
In some Indonesian regions, 'anak' can also refer to the smaller part of a larger object, like 'anak kunci' (key, literally 'child of the lock').
نکات فرهنگی
Children are often called 'adek' or 'dek' by strangers as a sign of affection, regardless of whether they are related.
“Mau ke mana, Dek?”
The concept of 'gemas' (an irresistible urge to pinch something cute) is frequently directed at 'anak kecil'.
“Aduh, pipinya! Gemas sekali anak kecil ini.”
Children are considered semi-divine in their early years, and many ceremonies protect the 'anak kecil' from negative spirits.
“Upacara Otonan untuk anak kecil.”
In this matrilineal society, the 'anak kecil' is the responsibility of the whole extended family, especially the mother's brothers.
“Mamak menjaga anak kecil.”
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Apakah kamu punya anak kecil di rumah?
Apa permainan favoritmu waktu masih anak kecil?
Menurutmu, apakah anak kecil sekarang terlalu banyak main HP?
Bagaimana cara mendidik anak kecil agar disiplin?
اشتباهات رایج
Kecil anak
Anak kecil
L1 Interference
Anak muda
Anak kecil
L1 Interference
Bayi kecil
Anak kecil
L1 Interference
Anak-anak kecil-kecil
Anak-anak kecil
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Niño pequeño
Gendered vs. Neutral nouns.
Petit enfant
Adjective placement (Before vs. After).
Kleinkind
Compound word vs. Collocation.
小さい子 (Chisai ko)
Grammatical particles.
طفل صغير (Tifl saghir)
Script and phonetic system.
小孩 (Xiǎohái)
Word order (Adjective comes first in Chinese).
어린아이 (Eorin-ai)
Focus on 'young' vs. 'small'.
Criança pequena
Gendered nouns.
Spotted in the Real World
“Anak-anak kecil itu berlari mengejar mimpi.”
Describing the children of Belitung island.
“Pelangi-pelangi, alangkah indahmu... (often sung by anak kecil)”
A classic nursery rhyme.
“Dunia anak kecil memang penuh warna. #anakkecil #lucu”
Captions for photos of children.
“Polisi menyelamatkan seorang anak kecil yang terjebak di lift.”
A news headline about a rescue.
“Maafin Baim ya Allah, Baim cuma anak kecil.”
A famous catchphrase from a child actor.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners think 'muda' (young) is the same as 'kecil' (small).
Use 'kecil' for size/age (kids) and 'muda' for age (teens/adults).
Learners think repeating 'kecil' makes it plural for 'children'.
Repeating 'kecil' usually means 'very small' or 'small things', not necessarily children.
سوالات متداول (12)
Usually from 2 to 10 years old. Before 2, they are 'bayi'. After 10, they are 'anak-anak' or 'remaja'.
basic understandingNo, Indonesian is a gender-neutral language. 'Anak kecil' can be a boy or a girl.
grammar mechanicsYes, but usually you'd say 'anak saya' (my child). You use 'anak kecil' when describing him to someone who doesn't know him.
usage contexts'Anak kecil' is neutral and polite. 'Bocah' is more informal and can be slightly slangy.
comparisonsThe formal way is 'anak-anak kecil', but in casual speech, 'anak kecil' often suffices.
grammar mechanicsYes, it implies they are being immature or childish. Use it carefully!
cultural usageYou can say 'kucing kecil' (small cat), but 'anak kecil' is specifically for humans.
usage contexts'Bocil' is a modern slang portmanteau of 'Bocah Kecil'. It's very common on the internet.
practical tipsYes, but 'kanak-kanak' is much more formal and usually found in writing or formal titles.
comparisonsYou say 'Waktu saya masih anak kecil...'
practical tipsIn this context, it refers to both size and age/stage of life.
basic understandingNo, 'anak muda' means 'young person' and is used for teenagers and young adults.
common mistakes
