obat nyamuk

Indonesian

Etymology

Compound of obat (“drug, medicine”) +‎ nyamuk (“mosquito”).

Noun

obat nyamuk (plural obat-obat nyamuk)

1. (literally) fly spray, insecticide.
2. (literally) insect repellent: a substance applied to skin, clothing, or other surfaces which discourages insects (and arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that surface.
3. (idiomatic) third wheel: an unwanted third party accompanying two people on a date.

Further reading

• “obat nyamuk” 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.