encik

English

Etymology

From Malay encik, from Hokkien 引叔 (ín-chek, “uncle”).

Pronunciation

• (Singapore) IPA^(key): /ˈɪnt͡ʃek/, [ˈɪn˧.t͡ʃeʔ˦]

Noun

encik (plural enciks)

1. (Singapore, informal, military) Informal term of address for a male warrant officer in the Singapore Armed Forces.

Related terms

• cik (female equivalent)

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ənˈt͡ʃɪk̚]
• Hyphenation: ên‧cik

Etymology 1

From Malay encik, from Hokkien 引叔 (ín-chek, “uncle”). Cognate of Tagalog Intsik, Cebuano Insik, Malay encik, Thai เจ๊ก (jék), Singaporean English Ah Chek.

Noun

êncik (uncountable)

1. term of address conferred on a respectable or unknown adult, usually when the name is unknown.

Etymology 2

From Malay encik, from Hokkien 阿姊 (a-chí, “elder sister”).

Noun

êncik (uncountable)

1. (West Sumatra) term of address conferred on a female schoolteacher.
2. elder sister

   Synonym: kakak

Derived terms

• berencik

 

Further reading

• “encik” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Malay

Pronunciation

• (Johor-Selangor, Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /ənt͡ʃeʔ/
• (Baku) IPA^(key): /ənt͡ʃɪʔ/
• Rhymes: -ənt͡ʃeʔ, -t͡ʃeʔ, -eʔ

Etymology 1

Possibly from Hokkien 引叔 (ín-chek, “uncle”).

Noun

encik (Jawi spelling انچيق, plural encik-encik, informal 1st possessive encikku, 2nd possessive encikmu, 3rd possessive enciknya)

1. term of address conferred on an adult male of moderate or unknown position, usually when the name is unknown; mister
2. term of address used before a man's name, who do not have any titles such as Datuk, Tengku, etc.; Mister
3. term of address for a male ethnic Chinese person

Synonyms

• tuan / توان

Descendants

• Indonesian: encek
• Indonesian: encik

Etymology 2

Possibly from Hokkien.

Noun

encik (Jawi spelling انچيق, plural encik-encik, informal 1st possessive encikku, 2nd possessive encikmu, 3rd possessive enciknya)

1. term of address for a mother

Descendants

• Indonesian: encik

Further reading

• “encik” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.