belakang

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay belakang, from Proto-Malayic *bəlakaŋ, from Proto-Malayo-Chamic, from Proto-Malayo-Sumbawan, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *balakaŋ (“hips”), from Proto-Austronesian *balakaŋ (“hips”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bə.ˈlä.käŋ]
• Hyphenation: bê‧la‧kang

Noun

bêlakang (first-person possessive belakangku, second-person possessive belakangmu, third-person possessive belakangnya)

1. back:
   1. the rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.
   2. that which is farthest away from the front.
2. following, ensuing, later

   Synonyms: kelak, nanti

Synonyms

• (side opposite the visible side): balik
• (rear of the body): punggung

Derived terms

• belakangan
• berbelakang-belakangan
• keterbelakangan
• membelakang
• membelakangi
• membelakangkan
• memperbelakangkan
• mengebelakangkan
• pembelakangan
• terbelakang
• terkebelakang

 

• belakang hari
• belakang layar
• belakang tangan

 

Further reading

• “belakang” 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

Etymology

From Proto-Malayic *bəlakaŋ (compare Indonesian belakang).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bəlakaŋ/
• Rhymes: -akaŋ, -kaŋ, -aŋ

Noun

belakang (Jawi spelling بلاکڠ, plural belakang-belakang, informal 1st possessive belakangku, 2nd possessive belakangmu, 3rd possessive belakangnya)

1. (anatomy) back (the rear of body)

Derived terms

• tulang belakang

Descendants

• Indonesian: belakang

Further reading

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