bengawan

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Javanese bangawan (ꦧꦔꦮꦤ꧀, “large river”), from Old Javanese baṅawan (“(great) river”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bə.ŋa.wan/
• Hyphenation: bê‧nga‧wan
• Rhymes: -awan, -wan, -an

Noun

bêngawan (first-person possessive bengawanku, second-person possessive bengawanmu, third-person possessive bengawannya)

1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)

   Bengawan Solo ― name of longest river in Jawa island

2. (literary) swamp

Synonyms

• (river): sungai: batang, kali, wai
• (swamp): rawa, paya

Further reading

• “bengawan” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Language Development and Fostering Agency — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.

Javanese

Alternative forms

• Carakan: ꦧꦼꦔꦮꦤ꧀
• Roman: bêngawan

Noun

bengawan (krama ngoko bengawan)

1. Alternative spelling of bangawan

References

• “[ bengawan]” in Bausastra Jawa, Yogyakarta: The Linguistic Center of Yogyakarta [Balai Bahasa Provinsi Yogyakarta].

Malay

bengawan

Etymology

Borrowed from Javanese bengawan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bə.ŋa.wan/
• Rhymes: -awan, -wan, -an

Noun

bengawan (Jawi spelling بڠاون‎, plural bengawan-bengawan, informal 1st possessive bengawanku, 2nd possessive bengawanmu, 3rd possessive bengawannya)

1. river (large stream which drains a landmass)

Synonyms

• sungai
• batang air
• wai
• kali (Javanese)
• ci (Sundanese)
• alur
• alir

Further reading

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