From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
This is a list of Indonesian-Malay false friends , that is, word pairs similar in appearance but different in meaning. Diacritics are shown for clarity in this table (while they are not usually written). Translations may be approximated; see linked entries for details.
Indonesian
Standard Malay
Translation, Indonesian only
Translation, Both
Translation, Standard Malay only
Notes
kacak
kacak
in the compound berkacak
handsome
kadar
kadar
level
rate
kakak
kakak
elder sibling
elder sister
kaki tangan
kakitangan
accomplice , minion
staff , personnel
kanan
kanan
-
right (side or direction )
senior (higher in rank, dignity, or office )
kapan
kapan
when ( interrogative )
Muslim burial shroud ; when ( archaic )
kardiologis
kardiologis
cardiologic ; cardiological
cardiologist
-
karya
karya
product
work (literary, artistic, or intellectual production)
karyawan
karyawan
worker , staff
artisan , laureate
kawal
kawal
to look after
-
to control ; to guard , to patrol
kawalan
kawalan
protected objects ; guard , protection (activity)
watch , guard (person)
kêamanan
keamanan
safety , security
peace
kêbênaran
kebenaran
truth
permission , approval
The sense of "permission, approval" is obsolete in Indonesian.
kêcêmasan
kecemasan
anxiety
emergency
kêcut
kecut
sour
contract
The sense of contract is rare in Indonesian.
kêganasan
keganasan
ferocity ; malignancy
violence
kêjang
kejang
convulsion
cramp
kêjayaan
kejayaan
glory
-
success
kêlangsingan
kelangsingan
slenderness
pitch
kêlayakan
kelayakan
appropriateness ; feasibility , realizability ; fitness ; propriety ; worthiness
eligibility
entitlement ; qualifying ; qualification
kêlèngkèng
keléngkéng
longan (fruit and tree ); pied hornbill
-
pinkie , little finger ; lychee (fruit and tree )
kêlola
kelola
to administer , to govern ; to control
to manage , to organize
to maintain
kêmalangan
kemalangan
-
misfortune , bad luck , setback
accident (transport, vehicles )
kênyataan
kenyataan
reality ; truth ; proofed
statement , remark
Statement or remark in Indonesian is pêrnyataan .
kêpekatan
kepekatan
concentration (state of)
concentration (proportion of a substance)
kêrajaan
kerajaan
kingdom (a rank in the classification of organisms, below domain and above phylum)
kingdom (realm having a king and/or queen as its actual or nominal sovereign)
government
In Malaysia and Brunei, the government sense prevail due to monarchic government.
In Singapore, foreign government can be referred as either kerajaan or pemerintah . However, Singaporean government always have been referred as pemerintah , which has no monarchic connotations.
In Indonesia, kerajaan always refer to kingdom .
kêranjang
keranjang
basket
in the compound bola keranjang
kêrêsahan
keresahan
restlessness ; unrest .
-
anxiety
kêrèta
keréta
train ; motorcycle (Medan)
carriage
car
Both are the dominant (expansion) meanings. The original meaning is carriage .
kès
kés
cash (note/bill and coin money)
-
case
kêsal
kesal
annoyed
regret
kêsamaan
kesamaan
equality
uniformity
kêsan
kesan
impression ; trace , print
mark
effect
kêsêlamatan
keselamatan
salvation (Christianity)
safety
security (condition of not being threatened)
kêsêragaman
keseragaman
uniformity
homogeneity
kêsatuan
kesatuan
unity
oneness
union
khidmat
khidmat
respect
service
kilang
kilang
refinery
factory (manufactory place)
koko
koko
older brother , traditional Malay-Indonesian men Muslim shirt
cacao ; brown ( dialectal )
komisi
komisi
commission (a body or group of people, the thing to be done; fee charged)
commission (a sending or mission)
kompêni
kompeni
Dutch East India Company ; Dutch East Indies colonial government
company (corporation, legal business entity; military)
kompon
kompaun
compound (combining several things)
-
compound (financial penalty or fine)
konfèksi
konféksi
ready-to-wear clothing
confection
konkrit
konkrit
concrete (real, actual, tangible)
concrete (building material)
kontrol
kontrol
supervision ; examination ; checkup ( medical )
control ( influence or authority over something )
kor
kor
choir , vocal ensemble
corps
korban
korban
victim
casualty
oblation , sacrificial offering
korèksi
koréksi
grading , scoring
correction
koronèr
koronér
coronary
coroner
kos
kos
lodging , to rent
cost
kotoran
kotoran
shit , excrement
dirt , filth
kursi
kursi
chair (an item of furniture), seat (piece of furniture)
chair (distinguished professorship)
krim
krim
cream (the butterfat/milkfat part of milk; a viscous aqueous oil/fat emulsion)
cream (a yellowish white colour)
kronik
kronik
chronicle
-
chronic