Gelap mata
Lose control
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'Gelap mata' when someone loses their cool so badly they act without thinking, usually due to intense anger or overwhelming greed.
- Means: Losing all sense of logic or morality due to extreme emotion.
- Used in: News reports about crimes, gossip about shopping sprees, or describing road rage.
- Don't confuse: With 'sakit mata' (eye pain) or 'mata-mata' (a spy).
Explanation at your level:
意思
Acting blindly due to rage or greed
文化背景
The concept of 'Sabar' (patience) is central. 'Gelap mata' is seen as the moment 'Sabar' fails completely. In Javanese culture, 'gelap mata' is often linked to 'ngumbar hawa nafsu' (letting one's desires run wild), which is highly discouraged. News outlets use 'gelap mata' as a standard euphemism for violent outbursts to avoid overly graphic language. In big cities like Jakarta, 'gelap mata' is frequently used to describe 'impulsive buying' during shopping festivals like Harbolnas.
Use it for Shopping!
The most natural way to use this today without sounding like a news reporter is to talk about buying too many things you don't need.
Don't use for 'Blind'
If someone literally cannot see, use 'tuna netra' (formal) or 'buta' (informal).
意思
Acting blindly due to rage or greed
Use it for Shopping!
The most natural way to use this today without sounding like a news reporter is to talk about buying too many things you don't need.
Don't use for 'Blind'
If someone literally cannot see, use 'tuna netra' (formal) or 'buta' (informal).
The 'Sabar' Connection
Indonesians value emotional control. Using this phrase shows you understand the gravity of losing one's temper.
自我测试
Fill in the blank with the correct idiom.
Dia sangat marah kepada adiknya sampai ______ dan merusak mainannya.
The context of being 'very angry' and 'breaking toys' indicates a loss of control, which is 'gelap mata.'
Which situation best describes 'gelap mata'?
Pilih situasi yang paling tepat:
This shows a loss of rational judgment due to desire/greed.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kenapa kamu memukul dia? B: Maaf, aku tadi ______ karena dia menghina ibuku.
Insulting a mother is a common trigger for 'gelap mata' (losing one's head) in Indonesian culture.
Match the cause to the 'gelap mata' result.
Match: 1. Diskon 90%, 2. Cemburu buta, 3. Ingin cepat kaya.
Discounts lead to overspending, jealousy to fighting, and wanting wealth to corruption.
🎉 得分： /4
视觉学习工具
Gelap Mata vs. Cuci Mata
常见问题
10 个问题Not necessarily. It's a description of a state. However, saying someone is 'mudah gelap mata' (easily loses their head) is a criticism of their character.
Usually, we use 'buta karena cinta' for love. 'Gelap mata' is more for aggressive or greedy impulses.
Yes, it is very common in journalism and literature.
There isn't a direct single-word idiom, but 'kepala dingin' (cold head/level-headed) is the opposite state.
It's grammatically okay, but it sounds more literal. Stick to 'gelap mata' for the idiom.
No, it can just involve buying too many donuts or gambling away a small amount of money.
No, it's a standard idiom that has been used for centuries.
Yes, though they might not understand the 'greed' aspect as well as the 'anger' aspect.
Keep your lips closed at the end of the word. Don't let a puff of air out like in the English word 'cap'.
Yes, 'gelap mata' is the psychological state that often precedes 'amuk'.
相关表达
Lupa diri
similarTo forget oneself
Mata duitan
specialized formMoney-oriented
Buta hati
synonymBlind-hearted
Darah tinggi
similarHigh blood (angry)
在哪里用
Road Rage
A: Kenapa mobil itu menabrak tiang?
B: Sopirnya gelap mata setelah disalip motor.
Flash Sale
Siska: Wah, kamu beli lima tas baru?
Maya: Maaf, aku gelap mata lihat diskonnya!
Gambling
Istri: Kenapa uang tabungan kita habis?
Suami: Aku gelap mata di kasino semalam.
Crime News
Presenter: Pelaku mengaku gelap mata saat merampok bank tersebut.
Office Politics
Manager: Dia memfitnah temannya demi promosi itu.
HR: Sepertinya dia sudah gelap mata oleh jabatan.
Dating Apps
User A: Kenapa kamu kirim pesan marah-marah ke dia?
User B: Aku gelap mata karena dia tidak balas chatku.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Gelap' (Dark) and 'Mata' (Eyes). When your eyes are in the dark, you can't see the 'light' of reason.
Visual Association
Imagine a person wearing pitch-black sunglasses in the middle of a gold mine or a heated argument. They are surrounded by things they want or hate, but they can't see the exit sign.
Rhyme
Marah membara, gelap mata, hilang cara.
Story
Andi was a good man until he saw a bag of diamonds. Suddenly, his eyes turned black (gelap mata). He forgot his family, forgot the law, and ran away with the bag, only to trip over a rock he couldn't see because his 'eyes were dark.'
Word Web
挑战
Write a 3-sentence story about a character who goes to a 90% off sale and becomes 'gelap mata.'
In Other Languages
Cegado por la ira
Indonesian is more versatile, covering both rage and greed.
Perdre la boule
French uses a 'head' metaphor; Indonesian uses an 'eye' metaphor.
Vor Wut blind sein
German is almost exclusively used for anger, not greed.
目が眩む (Me ga kuramu)
Japanese focuses on the 'dazzling' effect of the object, Indonesian on the 'darkness' of the mind.
أعماه الطمع (A'mahu al-tama')
Arabic often specifies the cause (greed/anger) explicitly.
利令智昏 (Lì lìng zhì hūn)
Chinese focuses on the 'fainting' or 'muddling' of wisdom.
눈이 뒤집히다 (Nuni dwijiphida)
Korean is more visceral/physical (eyes flipping) than Indonesian (eyes darkening).
Cego de raiva
Like Spanish, it's less commonly used for greed compared to Indonesian.
Easily Confused
Learners see 'mata' twice and think it's an intensive version of 'gelap mata.'
Mata-mata means a spy. It has nothing to do with anger.
Both involve 'mata' and 'shopping' contexts.
Cuci mata (eye wash) means window shopping or looking at beautiful things. It's relaxed. Gelap mata is losing control.
常见问题 (10)
Not necessarily. It's a description of a state. However, saying someone is 'mudah gelap mata' (easily loses their head) is a criticism of their character.
Usually, we use 'buta karena cinta' for love. 'Gelap mata' is more for aggressive or greedy impulses.
Yes, it is very common in journalism and literature.
There isn't a direct single-word idiom, but 'kepala dingin' (cold head/level-headed) is the opposite state.
It's grammatically okay, but it sounds more literal. Stick to 'gelap mata' for the idiom.
No, it can just involve buying too many donuts or gambling away a small amount of money.
No, it's a standard idiom that has been used for centuries.
Yes, though they might not understand the 'greed' aspect as well as the 'anger' aspect.
Keep your lips closed at the end of the word. Don't let a puff of air out like in the English word 'cap'.
Yes, 'gelap mata' is the psychological state that often precedes 'amuk'.
