sabu-sabu

Indonesian

Etymology

Reduplication of sabu, from English shabu, from Japanese シャブ (shabu, “stimulant”), possibly from Japanese しゃぶる (shaburu, “to suck, to lick”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsabu ˈsabu/

Noun

sabu-sabu

1. (slang) methamphetamine

Alternative forms

• shabu-shabu (non-standard)

Further reading

• “sabu-sabu” 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.