Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'buah bibir' to describe someone or something that everyone is currently talking about, whether it's good news or a scandal.
- Means: A person or topic that has become the center of public conversation.
- Used in: Social gatherings, news headlines, and office water-cooler chats.
- Don't confuse: With 'buah tangan', which means a souvenir or gift brought from a trip.
Explication à ton niveau :
Signification
Something many people are talking about
Contexte culturel
In Indonesia, being 'buah bibir' is closely tied to the concept of 'Nama Baik' (Good Name). Because society is collective, a person's reputation is often seen as a reflection of their entire family. Indonesian TV is famous for 'Infotainment' shows that focus entirely on who is currently the 'buah bibir' in the celebrity world. This has made the idiom very common in modern media language. In rural areas, news travels through 'getok tular' (word of mouth). Being the 'buah bibir' in a village can have real social consequences, both positive and negative. The term 'Netizen Indonesia' is known for being very active. When someone becomes 'buah bibir' online, it often results in thousands of comments and trending hashtags.
Pair it with 'Menjadi'
90% of the time, you will use this with the verb 'menjadi' (to become). Just remember: [Topic] + menjadi + buah bibir.
Not for Secrets
Don't use it for a secret you just told one person. It only becomes 'buah bibir' once many people know.
Pair it with 'Menjadi'
90% of the time, you will use this with the verb 'menjadi' (to become). Just remember: [Topic] + menjadi + buah bibir.
Not for Secrets
Don't use it for a secret you just told one person. It only becomes 'buah bibir' once many people know.
Use in Writing
Using this in an Indonesian essay or exam will make your language sound much more natural and 'native-like' than just using 'terkenal' (famous).
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct idiom.
Setelah memenangkan medali emas, atlet itu menjadi ___ di seluruh Indonesia.
'Buah bibir' means the talk of the town, which fits the context of a famous athlete.
Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Pilih kalimat yang benar:
This is the only sentence where 'buah bibir' is used figuratively to mean 'subject of talk'.
Match the situation to the most likely 'buah bibir'.
Situasi: Seorang artis terkenal tiba-tiba menikah secara rahasia.
A secret celebrity wedding is a classic topic for public gossip.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Kenapa semua orang di kantor melihat ke arah Rina?' B: 'Kamu belum dengar? Dia baru saja dipromosikan jadi Manajer termuda. Dia sedang ___.'
Rina is the center of attention due to her promotion, making her the 'buah bibir'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
5 exercicesSetelah memenangkan medali emas, atlet itu menjadi ___ di seluruh Indonesia.
'Buah bibir' means the talk of the town, which fits the context of a famous athlete.
Pilih kalimat yang benar:
This is the only sentence where 'buah bibir' is used figuratively to mean 'subject of talk'.
Situasi: Seorang artis terkenal tiba-tiba menikah secara rahasia.
A secret celebrity wedding is a classic topic for public gossip.
A: 'Kenapa semua orang di kantor melihat ke arah Rina?' B: 'Kamu belum dengar? Dia baru saja dipromosikan jadi Manajer termuda. Dia sedang ___.'
Rina is the center of attention due to her promotion, making her the 'buah bibir'.
🎉 Score : /5
Questions fréquentes
5 questionsNo, it can be positive! If you win a Nobel Prize, you will be the 'buah bibir' for your achievement. However, it is very frequently used for gossip.
Yes. If a new iPhone comes out and everyone is talking about it, you can say 'iPhone baru itu jadi buah bibir'.
'Viral' is a modern loanword specifically for the internet. 'Buah bibir' is a traditional idiom that applies to both the internet and real-life social circles.
Yes, it is considered a standard idiom. It's more professional than saying 'omongan orang'.
No, the order is fixed. It must be 'buah' (fruit) then 'bibir' (lips).
Expressions liées
Buah tangan
similarSouvenir or small gift
Buah hati
similarBeloved child or sweetheart
Kabar burung
relatedRumor or unverified news
Naik daun
relatedTo be rising in popularity
Où l'utiliser
At the Office
Andi: Kamu dengar berita tentang Pak Budi?
Sari: Iya, dia jadi buah bibir karena mengundurkan diri tiba-tiba.
In a Village/Neighborhood
Ibu RT: Wah, rumah baru Pak Jono besar sekali ya.
Ibu Siti: Betul, Bu. Sejak kemarin sudah jadi buah bibir warga sini.
Social Media Discussion
User1: Video kucing ini lucu banget!
User2: Iya, langsung jadi buah bibir di Twitter hari ini.
School/University
Rian: Siapa mahasiswa baru yang jago main gitar itu?
Dina: Oh, itu si Kevin. Dia lagi jadi buah bibir di kampus.
News Broadcast
Presenter: Prestasi atlet muda kita kini menjadi buah bibir di kancah internasional.
Family Gathering
Tante: Sepupumu akhirnya lulus S2 di luar negeri.
Keponakan: Hebat! Pasti dia bakal jadi buah bibir di arisan nanti.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a pair of lips that is actually a tree branch, and a bright red 'fruit' is growing right on the lips because everyone is picking at the story.
Association visuelle
Visualize a giant, juicy cherry sitting between two lips. The cherry represents the 'sweet' or 'ripe' gossip that everyone wants a piece of.
Rhyme
Bibir bicara, buah tercipta; semua orang suka berita.
Story
In a small village, a man grew a square watermelon. It was so strange that every time someone spoke, a small fruit appeared on their lips. Soon, the whole village had 'fruit on their lips' because they couldn't stop talking about the square watermelon.
In Other Languages
English has 'talk of the town', Spanish has 'estar en boca de todos' (to be in everyone's mouth), and French has 'être sur toutes les lèvres' (to be on all lips). They all use the mouth/lips as the central image.
Word Web
Défi
Try to find one news headline today on an Indonesian news site (like Kompas or Detik) and see if you can describe the main person in the news as 'buah bibir'.
Review this phrase 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after learning. Associate it with the word 'Viral' to remember its modern context.
Prononciation
Pronounce the 'u' and 'a' clearly as two syllables. The 'h' at the end is a soft breath.
The 'i' is short like in 'bit'. The 'r' at the end is slightly trilled.
Spectre de formalité
Skandal tersebut telah menjadi buah bibir di kalangan masyarakat luas. (Discussing a public scandal.)
Skandal itu menjadi buah bibir orang-orang. (Discussing a public scandal.)
Skandalnya lagi jadi buah bibir nih. (Discussing a public scandal.)
Tuh skandal lagi rame banget diomongin. (Discussing a public scandal.)
Derived from the Malay language, where 'buah' (fruit) is a productive metaphor for 'result' or 'output'. The 'lips' are seen as the 'tree' that produces the 'fruit' of speech.
Le savais-tu ?
Indonesian has many 'buah' idioms. 'Buah hati' (fruit of the heart) means a beloved child, and 'buah tangan' (fruit of the hand) means a souvenir.
Notes culturelles
In Indonesia, being 'buah bibir' is closely tied to the concept of 'Nama Baik' (Good Name). Because society is collective, a person's reputation is often seen as a reflection of their entire family.
“Keluarga itu sangat menjaga sikap agar tidak menjadi buah bibir negatif di kampung.”
Indonesian TV is famous for 'Infotainment' shows that focus entirely on who is currently the 'buah bibir' in the celebrity world. This has made the idiom very common in modern media language.
“Berita perceraian artis itu menjadi buah bibir di semua acara infotainment.”
In rural areas, news travels through 'getok tular' (word of mouth). Being the 'buah bibir' in a village can have real social consequences, both positive and negative.
“Keberhasilan panen Pak Haji menjadi buah bibir warga desa.”
The term 'Netizen Indonesia' is known for being very active. When someone becomes 'buah bibir' online, it often results in thousands of comments and trending hashtags.
“Komentar pedas netizen membuat selebgram itu jadi buah bibir.”
Amorces de conversation
Siapa artis yang sedang jadi buah bibir di negaramu sekarang?
Apakah kamu pernah menjadi buah bibir di sekolah atau kantor?
Berita apa yang sedang menjadi buah bibir di media sosial hari ini?
Erreurs courantes
Dia makan buah bibir.
Dia menjadi buah bibir.
L1 Interference
Saya membawa buah bibir dari Bali.
Saya membawa buah tangan dari Bali.
L1 Interference
Berita itu membuah bibir.
Berita itu menjadi buah bibir.
L1 Interference
Dia adalah bibir buah.
Dia adalah buah bibir.
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Estar en boca de todos
Spanish uses 'mouth' (boca) while Indonesian uses 'lips' (bibir).
Être sur toutes les lèvres
French uses the preposition 'on' (sur) while Indonesian uses the 'fruit' metaphor.
In aller Munde sein
German uses 'mouth' (Munde) and the preposition 'in'.
噂の的 (Uwasa no mato)
Japanese uses a 'target' metaphor instead of a 'fruit' metaphor.
حديث الناس (Hadith al-nas)
Arabic is more literal and less figurative than the Indonesian 'fruit' metaphor.
茶余饭后 (Chá yú fàn hòu)
Chinese focuses on the *time* people gossip, while Indonesian focuses on the *lips*.
입에 오르내리다 (Ip-e oraenaerida)
Korean focuses on the *movement* of the mouth, Indonesian on the *product* (fruit).
Nas bocas do mundo
Portuguese uses 'mouths' (bocas) in the plural to emphasize many people.
Spotted in the Real World
“Janganlah aku jadi buah bibirmu...”
A classic Indonesian song about someone asking their lover not to make them a subject of gossip.
“Gaya berpakaian artis ini menjadi buah bibir netizen.”
A headline about a celebrity's fashion choices on social media.
Facile à confondre
Both start with 'buah' and are very common idioms for beginners.
Remember: Bibir = Lips (Talking), Tangan = Hand (Giving a gift).
Both refer to something produced by a person (words vs. ideas).
Pikiran = Thought (Internal/Idea), Bibir = Lips (External/Gossip).
Questions fréquentes (5)
No, it can be positive! If you win a Nobel Prize, you will be the 'buah bibir' for your achievement. However, it is very frequently used for gossip.
usage contextsYes. If a new iPhone comes out and everyone is talking about it, you can say 'iPhone baru itu jadi buah bibir'.
usage contexts'Viral' is a modern loanword specifically for the internet. 'Buah bibir' is a traditional idiom that applies to both the internet and real-life social circles.
comparisonsYes, it is considered a standard idiom. It's more professional than saying 'omongan orang'.
practical tipsNo, the order is fixed. It must be 'buah' (fruit) then 'bibir' (lips).
grammar mechanics
