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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

indonesian idiom in english




I have just quoted from several sources
below are some idioms that dietrjemahkan into the English language support forexpatriates who do not understand Indonesian and want to learn Indonesian


Angkat telur (lift eggs)- closest to kissing arse
Cari muka (looking face) - trying to look good
Cuci mata (wash eyes) - window shopping/taking in another view
anak buah - (fruit child) - Subordinate 
anak bawang -(onion child) - the odd one out/the one whose picked last. 
tangan panjang - (long arm/hand) - thief
jalan tikus - (rat road) - similar to the English rat run meaning short cut.

Otak udang (shrimp brain) = Stupid If you ever peeled a shrimp that still has its head on, you know that the head is full of its crap.
Kambing hitam (black goat) = Scapegoat
Muka tembok (wall face) = Thick skinned
Cuci mulut (wash mouth) = Desert
Kaki tangan (leg arm) = Staff, assistants, minions

Malu-malu kucing (shy shy cat): somebody who is very shy or too embarrassed to speak
buaya darat (probably misspelled; "land crocodile"): playboy / sexually aggressive male

angkat tangan (raise hand): surrender
buah tangan (hand fruit) : gifts
buah bibir (lips fruit) : byword
anak emas (gold child) : the fave child

cuci tangan (wash off hands) = try to escape from something by cleaning up evidence
angkat kaki (lift foot) = to leave
ringan tangan (light hand) = love to help, in sinister way: quick at raising hands & beating up somebody
jago merah (red roaster) = big fire/flame (often used in fire disaster)
main api (play with fire) = do something risky
buang muka (throw face away) = to look away, to avert or ignore in purpose
buah hati (fruit of heart) = beloved child
bintang lapangan (star in the field) = the MVP
gulung tikar (to roll the mat) = go bankrupt
pindah tangan (move hands) = transition of authority (for belongings, possession of things)
darah biru (blue blood) = aristocrat
darah dingin (cold blooded) = cold blooded
tangan besi (iron hand) = dictactor
lintah darat (leech) = similar to loan shark?
naik daun (going up leaf) = becoming popular
meja hijau (green table) = the court (law)
banting tulang (throw bones) = work hard
kepala dingin (cold head), to think with "kepala dingin" is to think clearly not just based on emotion. "mendinginkan kepala" is to cool off
unjuk gigi (showing tooth) = bare fangs, to demonstrate your skill
unjuk rasa (utter the feelings) = demonstration
gigit jari (biting finger) = to feel dissapointed 
kelinci percobaan = guinea pig
tangan hijau = green finger
bunga desa (flower in the village) = the most beautiful girl in a village
besar kepala (big head) = arrogant
besar mulut = big mouth / blabber mouth
mata hati, to use "mata hati" is to use your heart/conscience
kutu buku = book worm
kutu loncat (jumping flea) = a fickle person, a term used for people love changing jobs.
muka dua = two faced

tuan rumah (house master) = a host.
kupu2 malam (night butterfly) = prostitute
angkat jempol (to raise thumbs) = admit somebody's greatness
mata hijau (green eyes) = money oriented
silat lidah (tongue fight) = bicker

gede rasa - big headed often shorten to GR
cinta monyet - (monkey love) - puppy love /childish crush. 
main mata - (playing eyes) - flirting
anak pasaran - (market child) - common/ commoner 
bau tanah - (smells of dirt/soil) - nearing death / one foot in the grave
tertangkap tangan basah - (caught wet handed) - caught red handed
pas foto - to get to first base eg to kiss as the head being the only thing you can see in a passport photo.

Gimana sih? = what gives?
ada ada aja sih = things you do

galau : feeling so blue






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