Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'Bermuka dua' to describe someone who acts friendly to your face but talks behind your back.
- Means: Being hypocritical or having two different personalities for different people.
- Used in: Social drama, office politics, or warning friends about untrustworthy people.
- Don't confuse: It is not about physical deformity or literal masks.
توضیح در سطح شما:
معنی
Someone who is hypocritical or insincere.
زمینه فرهنگی
In Javanese culture, the concept of 'Alus' (refined) behavior can sometimes be misinterpreted as being 'bermuka dua' by outsiders, because Javanese people often avoid direct conflict to maintain 'Rukun' (harmony). In big cities like Jakarta, 'bermuka dua' is a common topic in 'curhat' (confiding) sessions among friends, especially regarding office politics. Indonesian soap operas (Sinetron) almost always feature a 'bermuka dua' antagonist who pretends to be an angel to the protagonist but is actually plotting against them. The term is often linked to the concept of 'Munafik' in Islam, which is one of the most disliked traits, emphasizing the moral weight of the idiom.
Strong Accusation
Calling someone 'bermuka dua' is a serious insult to their character. Use it about someone, not usually to their face unless you want a confrontation.
Use with 'Orang'
It sounds most natural when used to describe a person: 'Orang yang bermuka dua.'
Strong Accusation
Calling someone 'bermuka dua' is a serious insult to their character. Use it about someone, not usually to their face unless you want a confrontation.
Use with 'Orang'
It sounds most natural when used to describe a person: 'Orang yang bermuka dua.'
Politeness vs. Duplicity
Remember that in Indonesia, being 'indirect' is polite. Don't confuse indirectness with being two-faced!
خودت رو بسنج
Choose the best word to complete the sentence.
Dia sangat _____, di depan saya dia baik, tapi di belakang dia jahat.
The idiom for hypocrisy is 'bermuka dua' (two-faced).
Fill in the missing prefix.
Jangan _____muka dua kepada teman sendiri.
The idiom uses the 'ber-' prefix to indicate having the characteristic of two faces.
Which situation best describes 'bermuka dua'?
Situation: Budi tells his boss he loves the new policy, but then tells his coworkers it's the worst idea ever.
Acting one way to a superior and another way to peers is a classic 'bermuka dua' behavior.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Siska bilang dia tidak suka gosip.' B: 'Tapi dia baru saja menceritakan rahasia Andi!' A: 'Wah, Siska memang ______.'
Siska's actions contradict her words, making her two-faced.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Honesty vs. Duplicity
بانک تمرین
5 تمرینهاDia sangat _____, di depan saya dia baik, tapi di belakang dia jahat.
The idiom for hypocrisy is 'bermuka dua' (two-faced).
Jangan _____muka dua kepada teman sendiri.
The idiom uses the 'ber-' prefix to indicate having the characteristic of two faces.
Situation: Budi tells his boss he loves the new policy, but then tells his coworkers it's the worst idea ever.
Acting one way to a superior and another way to peers is a classic 'bermuka dua' behavior.
A: 'Siska bilang dia tidak suka gosip.' B: 'Tapi dia baru saja menceritakan rahasia Andi!' A: 'Wah, Siska memang ______.'
Siska's actions contradict her words, making her two-faced.
🎉 امتیاز: /5
سوالات متداول
10 سوالNo, it's not a swear word, but it is a very negative description of someone's personality.
Yes, it is very commonly used in political discussions in Indonesia.
The opposite is 'jujur' (honest), 'tulus' (sincere), or 'apa adanya' (genuine).
'Bermuka dua' is the grammatically correct version. 'Muka dua' is casual slang.
No, it is only used for people or their behavior.
You can use 'munafik' or 'tidak konsisten dalam bersikap.'
Yes, 'fake' is the modern English equivalent often used by younger Indonesians.
Yes, to describe untrustworthy partners or colleagues.
No, this idiom is always negative.
People sometimes say it as a joke to mean someone is even worse, but 'bermuka dua' is the standard idiom.
عبارات مرتبط
Lain di mulut, lain di hati
synonymDifferent in the mouth, different in the heart.
Muka tembok
similarShameless.
Cari muka
relatedTo seek attention or favor (brown-nosing).
Rendah hati
contrastHumble.
Apa adanya
contrastGenuine / as it is.
کجا استفاده کنیم
Office Gossip
Ani: Tadi Siska memuji presentasimu, tapi sekarang dia menjelek-jelekkanmu.
Budi: Wah, dia benar-benar bermuka dua ya!
Warning a Friend
Candra: Aku mau curhat ke Dedi.
Eka: Hati-hati, dia itu bermuka dua. Rahasiamu bisa tersebar.
Political Commentary
Presenter: Bagaimana pendapat Anda tentang janji politikus tersebut?
Pengamat: Rakyat sudah tahu dia bermuka dua sejak pemilu lalu.
Social Media Drama
User1: Lihat postingan ini, dia bilang dia peduli lingkungan.
User2: Tapi dia pakai plastik terus. Dasar bermuka dua!
Dating Advice
Sari: Dia bilang dia sayang aku, tapi dia jalan sama cewek lain.
Maya: Lupakan saja dia, laki-laki bermuka dua seperti itu tidak pantas untukmu.
School Environment
Siswa A: Dia bilang dia tidak belajar, tapi nilainya seratus.
Siswa B: Mungkin dia cuma bermuka dua supaya kita tidak belajar juga.
حفظ کنید
روش یادسپاری
Think of a 'Mirror' (Muka) that shows 'Two' (Dua) different people.
تداعی تصویری
Imagine a person wearing a friendly smiling mask on the front of their head and a mean, gossiping mask on the back of their head.
Rhyme
Muka dua, jangan percaya!
Story
Budi was a student who told the teacher he loved homework (Face 1), but then told his friends he hated the teacher (Face 2). Budi is 'bermuka dua'.
In Other Languages
English has 'two-faced,' Spanish has 'doble cara,' and Japanese has 'ura-omote.' It is a very universal human concept.
شبکه واژگان
چالش
Try to identify one character in a movie or book you know who is 'bermuka dua' and explain why in Indonesian.
Review this phrase every time you see a character in a movie betraying someone.
تلفظ
The 'e' is a schwa sound, like the 'a' in 'about.'
The 'u' is like 'boot' and the 'a' is a clear 'ah.'
Two syllables, 'doo-ah.'
طیف رسمیت
Individu tersebut memiliki kecenderungan untuk bermuka dua. (Describing someone's character)
Dia adalah orang yang bermuka dua. (Describing someone's character)
Dia mah bermuka dua orangnya. (Describing someone's character)
Asli, dia fake banget, muka dua! (Describing someone's character)
The phrase is a calque (loan translation) that exists in many languages, but in Indonesian, it gained prominence through Malay literature where the 'face' is a metaphor for honor and sincerity.
نکته جالب
In some regional dialects of Indonesia, there are even more specific versions, like 'muka tembok' (wall-faced) for someone who has no shame!
نکات فرهنگی
In Javanese culture, the concept of 'Alus' (refined) behavior can sometimes be misinterpreted as being 'bermuka dua' by outsiders, because Javanese people often avoid direct conflict to maintain 'Rukun' (harmony).
“Seorang Jawa mungkin tidak setuju, tapi tetap tersenyum.”
In big cities like Jakarta, 'bermuka dua' is a common topic in 'curhat' (confiding) sessions among friends, especially regarding office politics.
“Dunia kerja di Jakarta penuh dengan orang bermuka dua.”
Indonesian soap operas (Sinetron) almost always feature a 'bermuka dua' antagonist who pretends to be an angel to the protagonist but is actually plotting against them.
“Karakter antagonis itu sangat bermuka dua.”
The term is often linked to the concept of 'Munafik' in Islam, which is one of the most disliked traits, emphasizing the moral weight of the idiom.
“Dalam agama, bermuka dua itu sifat yang buruk.”
شروعکنندههای مکالمه
Pernahkah kamu bertemu orang yang bermuka dua?
Menurutmu, kenapa orang suka bermuka dua di kantor?
Bagaimana cara menghadapi teman yang bermuka dua?
اشتباهات رایج
Dia punya dua muka.
Dia bermuka dua.
L1 Interference
Dia bermuka-muka.
Dia bermuka dua.
L1 Interference
Dia bermuka dua ke saya.
Dia bermuka dua terhadap saya.
L1 Interference
Orang itu bermuka dua sekali.
Orang itu sangat bermuka dua.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Tener doble cara
Spanish often uses 'tener' (to have) while Indonesian uses the 'ber-' prefix.
Avoir deux visages
French might also use 'être faux' (to be false) more frequently in casual speech.
Janusköpfig sein
German is more literary/academic; 'falsch sein' is more common for 'two-faced'.
裏表がある (Ura-omote ga aru)
The imagery is 'front/back' rather than 'two faces'.
ذو وجهين (Dhu wajhayn)
Carries a stronger religious/moral weight than the Indonesian version.
表里不一 (Biǎo lǐ bù yī)
Uses 'inside/outside' or 'mouth/heart' imagery instead of 'faces'.
두 얼굴의 사나이 (Du eolgul-ui sanae)
The 'two faces' phrase is often associated with the 'Incredible Hulk' or similar dual-nature characters.
Ter duas caras
None, the usage is virtually identical.
Spotted in the Real World
“Kau bermuka dua, manis di depan pahit di belakang.”
A song about a lover who betrayed the singer.
“Politikus bermuka dua hanya akan merugikan rakyat.”
An article discussing political integrity during election season.
“Aku tidak sangka kamu se-bermuka dua ini, Elsa!”
A dramatic scene in a popular Indonesian soap opera (sinetron).
“Capek banget sama temen yang bermuka dua. Mending menjauh.”
A typical 'venting' tweet about social life.
“...manusia-manusia bermuka dua yang hanya mencari keuntungan sendiri.”
Describing certain characters in a small mining town.
بهراحتی اشتباه گرفته میشود
Learners think it's just a plural of 'muka' or the same as 'bermuka dua.'
'Bermuka-muka' means doing something just to be seen by others (performative), while 'bermuka dua' is about being a hypocrite.
Missing the 'ber-' prefix.
In formal writing, always use 'bermuka dua.' 'Muka dua' is only for very casual speech.
سوالات متداول (10)
No, it's not a swear word, but it is a very negative description of someone's personality.
basic understandingYes, it is very commonly used in political discussions in Indonesia.
usage contextsThe opposite is 'jujur' (honest), 'tulus' (sincere), or 'apa adanya' (genuine).
comparisons'Bermuka dua' is the grammatically correct version. 'Muka dua' is casual slang.
grammar mechanicsNo, it is only used for people or their behavior.
usage contextsYou can use 'munafik' or 'tidak konsisten dalam bersikap.'
practical tipsYes, 'fake' is the modern English equivalent often used by younger Indonesians.
comparisonsYes, to describe untrustworthy partners or colleagues.
usage contextsNo, this idiom is always negative.
basic understandingPeople sometimes say it as a joke to mean someone is even worse, but 'bermuka dua' is the standard idiom.
practical tips
