Metaphorical Language
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Metaphors use non-literal words to describe things creatively; remember that the meaning is always more than the sum of its parts.
- Metaphors often combine two nouns to create a new meaning, like 'buah tangan' (fruit + hand = souvenir).
- Body parts are frequently used to describe personality traits, such as 'rendah hati' (low + heart = humble).
- Never translate these literally; 'makan hati' isn't eating a heart, it's feeling deeply hurt or resentful.
Meanings
Metaphorical language in Indonesian (Bahasa Kiasan) involves using words or phrases that deviate from their literal definition to convey a more complex, often culturally-rooted meaning.
Body Part Metaphors
Using parts of the body (heart, head, hands) to describe character or emotions.
“Kepala dingin (cool head)”
“Besar kepala (big head/arrogant)”
Nature & Food Metaphors
Using elements from nature or food to describe life situations.
“Gulung tikar (rolling up the mat/bankruptcy)”
“Kabar angin (wind news/rumor)”
Animal Metaphors
Using animal traits to describe human behavior, often with a moral lesson.
“Kambing hitam (black goat/scapegoat)”
“Kutu buku (book louse/bookworm)”
Common Metaphorical Structures
| Type | Structure | Example | Literal Meaning | Idiomatic Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Part | Adj + Noun | Rendah hati | Low heart | Humble |
| Body Part | Noun + Noun | Kaki tangan | Leg hand | Henchman |
| Nature | Noun + Noun | Kabar angin | Wind news | Rumor |
| Action | Verb + Noun | Makan hati | Eat heart | To suffer emotionally |
| Object | Verb + Noun | Gulung tikar | Roll mat | Bankrupt |
| Animal | Noun + Adj | Buaya darat | Land crocodile | Womanizer |
| Color | Noun + Color | Darah biru | Blue blood | Royalty |
| Food | Verb + Noun | Makan garam | Eat salt | Experienced |
Reference Table
| Metaphor | Usage Context | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Buah tangan | Travel/Visiting | Saya membawa buah tangan untuk ibu. |
| Anak emas | Work/School | Dia anak emas di kantor ini. |
| Kepala dingin | Conflict | Mari bicara dengan kepala dingin. |
| Besar kepala | Personality | Jangan jadi orang yang besar kepala. |
| Tutup usia | Formal News | Tokoh itu telah tutup usia kemarin. |
| Angkat kaki | Conflict/Leaving | Dia disuruh angkat kaki dari rumah itu. |
| Banting tulang | Work | Ayah banting tulang demi kami. |
| Cari muka | Work/Social | Dia suka cari muka di depan guru. |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Perusahaan tersebut dinyatakan pailit. (Business status)
Perusahaannya gulung tikar. (Business status)
Bisnisnya bangkrut. (Business status)
Duitnya ludes, tokonya tutup. (Business status)
The 'Hati' (Heart) Universe
Positive
- Rendah hati Humble
- Lapang hati Patient/Big-hearted
Negative
- Makan hati Deeply hurt
- Sakit hati Resentful
Action
- Hati-hati Be careful
- Jatuh hati Fall in love
Literal vs. Metaphorical
Is it a Metaphor?
Does the phrase make sense literally in this context?
Does it involve a body part or nature?
Common Animal Metaphors
Crocodile
- • Buaya darat (Womanizer)
- • Air mata buaya (Fake tears)
Goat
- • Kambing hitam (Scapegoat)
- • Bau kambing (Smelly)
Louse/Bug
- • Kutu buku (Bookworm)
- • Kutu loncat (Job hopper)
Examples by Level
Saya suka melihat matahari terbit.
I like watching the sun (eye of the day) rise.
Dia memakai baju warna merah muda.
She is wearing a pink (young red) shirt.
Ini adalah buah tangan dari Bali.
This is a souvenir (fruit of the hand) from Bali.
Terima kasih banyak atas bantuannya.
Thank you (accept love) very much for the help.
Hati-hati di jalan ya!
Be careful (heart-heart) on the road, okay!
Dia adalah anak emas di kelas ini.
He is the golden child (favorite) in this class.
Jangan besar kepala karena menang.
Don't be arrogant (big headed) because you won.
Budi adalah kutu buku yang pintar.
Budi is a smart bookworm (book louse).
Perusahaan itu akhirnya gulung tikar.
That company finally went bankrupt (rolled up the mat).
Dia selalu rendah hati meskipun kaya.
He is always humble (low heart) even though he's rich.
Masalah ini menjadi buah bibir di kantor.
This issue has become the talk of the town (fruit of the lips) at the office.
Jangan mencari muka di depan bos.
Don't try to get attention (seek face) in front of the boss.
Kita harus menyelesaikan masalah ini dengan kepala dingin.
We must solve this problem with a cool head (calmly).
Dia hanya menjadi kambing hitam dalam kasus ini.
He was only a scapegoat (black goat) in this case.
Pencuri itu akhirnya dibawa ke meja hijau.
The thief was finally taken to court (the green table).
Dia memang buaya darat, jangan percaya padanya.
He is indeed a womanizer (land crocodile), don't trust him.
Dia sudah banyak makan asam garam kehidupan.
He has experienced much of life's ups and downs (eaten acid and salt).
Jangan menjadi musang berbulu ayam di organisasi ini.
Don't be a wolf in sheep's clothing (civet in chicken feathers) in this organization.
Kabar itu ternyata hanya kabar angin belaka.
That news turned out to be just a mere rumor (wind news).
Dia bertekuk lutut di hadapan kekasihnya.
He surrendered/knelt (bent his knees) before his lover.
Orang itu memang lidah tak bertulang, bicaranya selalu berubah.
That person is indeed untrustworthy (tongue has no bone), his words always change.
Ia memeras keringat demi menghidupi keluarganya.
He worked extremely hard (squeezed sweat) to support his family.
Jangan sampai kita menjadi kacang lupa kulitnya.
Don't let us forget our roots (the peanut forgets its shell).
Masalah itu sudah menjadi rahasia umum.
That problem has already become an open secret (public secret).
Easily Confused
Both involve emotional pain, but 'makan hati' is a long-term suffering caused by someone else's behavior, while 'sakit hati' is immediate resentment or offense.
One is negative (arrogant), the other is positive (proud/generous).
Both start with 'Buah' (fruit).
자주 하는 실수
Saya makan hati ayam.
Saya makan hati ayam (Literal).
Dia punya kepala besar.
Dia besar kepala.
Matahari adalah mata dari hari.
Matahari.
Terima kasih hati.
Terima kasih.
Jangan patah kaki!
Semoga sukses!
Dia adalah louse buku.
Dia kutu buku.
Saya membawa tangan buah.
Saya membawa buah tangan.
Dia sedang menggulung tikar perusahaannya.
Perusahaannya gulung tikar.
Dia mencari wajah.
Dia mencari muka.
Kambing itu berwarna hitam.
Dia jadi kambing hitam.
Dia makan garam banyak.
Dia sudah banyak makan asam garam.
Sentence Patterns
Dia memang orang yang ___, selalu membantu siapa saja.
Jangan sampai masalah ini menjadi ___ di lingkungan kita.
Setelah bertahun-tahun bekerja, dia sudah banyak ___.
Kita harus menghadapi situasi sulit ini dengan ___.
Real World Usage
Hati-hati ya guys kalau pulang malam.
Kita harus banting tulang agar target tercapai.
Artis terkenal itu tutup usia di Jakarta.
Saya adalah orang yang tahan banting dalam bekerja.
Dia itu cuma cari muka saja di depan dosen.
Semoga kalian menjadi pasangan yang rendah hati.
The 'Hati' Rule
Animal Danger
Fixed Order
Softening Blows
Smart Tips
Use body parts! 'Kepala' for ego/logic, 'Hati' for emotions, and 'Tangan' for actions.
Assume it's a metaphor. If someone is 'eating salt' (makan garam), they aren't in the kitchen—they are experienced.
Always mention 'buah tangan'. Even if you didn't bring one, knowing the term is culturally respectful.
Use 'tutup usia' instead of 'mati' or 'meninggal' for public figures to show maximum respect.
발음
Compound Stress
In metaphors like 'buah tangan', there is no pause between the words. They are pronounced as one unit.
Hati-hati Reduplication
The 'a' in 'hati' is short and crisp. Don't elongate it.
Idiomatic Emphasis
Dia itu BUAYA darat!
Emphasis on the first word of the metaphor to show strong emotion or warning.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'Buah' (Fruit) metaphors as the 'results' of an action: Buah tangan (result of travel), Buah bibir (result of gossip).
Visual Association
Imagine a person with a literal 'cool head' (an ice cube on their head) to remember 'Kepala dingin' means staying calm during a heated argument.
Rhyme
Hati rendah, teman melimpah; Kepala besar, kawan pun pudar.
Story
A 'Kutu buku' (bookworm) was so busy reading that he didn't realize his business was 'Gulung tikar' (bankrupt). He became the 'Buah bibir' (talk of the town) until his 'Anak emas' (golden child) helped him 'Banting tulang' (work hard) to fix it.
Word Web
챌린지
Try to use 'Rendah hati' or 'Buah tangan' in your next Indonesian conversation or journal entry.
문화 노트
Many Indonesian metaphors come from Javanese concepts of 'alus' (refinement). Using metaphors is a way to avoid direct confrontation.
Metaphors involving boats and water are common due to Indonesia's geography.
Young people in Jakarta create new metaphors using English-Indonesian mixes (Jaksel language).
Indonesian metaphors are a blend of Austronesian roots, Sanskrit poetic influences, and Arabic moral teachings.
Conversation Starters
Apa buah tangan favoritmu kalau pulang kampung?
Siapa yang menurutmu paling rendah hati di kelas ini?
Pernahkah kamu merasa makan hati karena pekerjaan?
Apakah kamu setuju kalau politikus sering mencari muka?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Dia orang yang sangat ___, tidak pernah pamer kekayaannya.
Jangan ___ kepala hanya karena kamu menang lomba.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya membawa tangan buah dari Bandung.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Dia sangat sombong.
A: 'Kenapa toko itu tutup?' B: 'Iya, mereka sudah ___.'
'Matahari' is a metaphor that literally means 'Eye of the Day'.
Rendah hati, Besar kepala, Kepala dingin
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesDia orang yang sangat ___, tidak pernah pamer kekayaannya.
Jangan ___ kepala hanya karena kamu menang lomba.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya membawa tangan buah dari Bandung.
1. Gulung tikar, 2. Kutu buku, 3. Kambing hitam
Dia sangat sombong.
A: 'Kenapa toko itu tutup?' B: 'Iya, mereka sudah ___.'
'Matahari' is a metaphor that literally means 'Eye of the Day'.
Rendah hati, Besar kepala, Kepala dingin
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
It's risky! Metaphors are usually fixed expressions. If you make one up, people might take you literally. Stick to the established ones first.
In Indonesian, 'Jantung' is the physical organ that pumps blood, while 'Hati' (literally liver) is the metaphorical seat of emotions.
Yes, it's quite strong. It's used to describe a man who cheats or plays with women's feelings. Don't use it lightly!
`Ungkapan` are short idioms (2-3 words), while `Peribahasa` are full sentences or proverbs that give advice.
Usually no. Adding a prefix often turns the metaphor back into a literal action. For example, 'gulung tikar' (bankrupt) vs 'menggulung tikar' (literally rolling a mat).
Context is key. If someone says 'Saya makan hati' while holding a plate of chicken livers, it's literal. If they say it while crying, it's metaphorical.
Indonesians often say 'Semoga beruntung' or 'Sukses ya'. There isn't a direct metaphorical equivalent like 'break a leg'.
Yes, it refers to people of royal descent or high nobility, though it's less common in daily conversation now.
In Other Languages
Modismos
Indonesian uses 'Hati' (liver/heart) for emotions, Spanish uses 'Corazón'.
Expressions imagées
French metaphors are often more surreal, while Indonesian ones are grounded in daily objects.
Redewendungen
German metaphors can be grammatically complex, while Indonesian ones are usually simple noun-noun pairs.
Kanyouku (慣用句)
Japanese idioms often use specific particles, whereas Indonesian ones are fixed lexical blocks.
Balagha / Kinaya
Arabic metaphors are often more poetic and rhythmic.
Chengyu (成语)
Chengyu are highly structural and literary; Indonesian 'ungkapan' are more flexible.
