guna-guna

Indonesian

Etymology

From Sanskrit गुण (guṇa, literally “talent”). The word guṇya is found in Indic tribal milieux, where it is connected with sorcery. As we have seen in the case of guṇya, guṇa is commonly used as a synonym of “supernatural powers” (siddhi) in both Sanskrit and Old Javanese sources.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡuna ˈɡuna/

Noun

guna-guna (first-person possessive guna-gunaku, second-person possessive guna-gunamu, third-person possessive guna-gunanya)

1. love potion, philter, or any periapt used to induce romantic attraction

   Synonym: pekasih

2. (by extension) a charm or mantra; utilized to tempt, allure, or imbue someone or something with enchantment

   Synonyms: pesona, jampi-jampi

Further reading

• “guna-guna” 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.