kaki tangan

See also: kakitangan

Indonesian

Etymology

Compound of kaki (“foot”) +‎ tangan (“hand”).

Noun

kaki tangan (first-person possessive kaki tanganku, second-person possessive kaki tanganmu, third-person possessive kaki tangannya)

1. (literal) foot and hand; appendage.
2. accomplice, helper
3. minion

Usage notes

The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian due to shared etymology. The Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore usage can be seen in Malay kakitangan.

Synonyms

• komplotan
• rekan pidana

Further reading

• “kaki tangan” 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.